Sides of the Moon
by The Queen in Black Veil
Summary: Of all the fandoms, of all the characters she had to 'replace' why did it have to be this one? In which a nineteen years-old girl from our days wakes up in the Tsukino household having replaced their daughter and tries to find one missing Usagi so she can get the hell out of dodge. OC-centric
1. Act I Spirited Away

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything except maybe this strange idea and Yuuko.

**A/N:** Blame the remake people, I completely went there and now here I am writing for a fandom I believed I would never return to again, because of reasons. I was mistaken so here I am presenting you The Mysterious Disappearance of Tsukino Usagi and the mightiest detective, not, Yuuko who is not Japanese and tries to find her. It'll make sense later people, hopefully. If you stick that long with this. We shall see about that, about that we shall see...onward I present you Sides of the Moon. Pairings include but aren't limited to Shitennou/Senshi, Endymion/Serenity, for now.

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><p><strong>Act I.<strong>

**Spirited Away**

_The halls were empty, devoid of any signs of life, the clicking of her heeled shoes too loud in the stillness that had fallen over this place. The cavernous hallways with its marble pillars ended in an archway that lead to large room where a throne sat, chunks crumbled before the steps leading towards it. The wall behind it was made entirely out of glass, fields of white stretching as far as her eyes could see and seemingly below an entire planet, so close to the surface and yet so far. _

_"__What the?" breathless she made to move closer admiring the view and at the same time trying to understand how it was possible. She was filled with a sudden sense of disbelief as she watched the verdant planet "Is that Earth?"_

_"__Indeed it is."_

_Whirling around, she gasped at the sudden apparition. The woman was tall and statuesque, silver hair tumbling gracefully down the high-necked cape covering her back, but it was her eyes that left her feeling inadequate, small and insignificant as she looked into them. She was beautiful and young and yet there was something in her gaze that spoke of unfathomable knowledge, of the birth of stars and their deaths. The woman smiled resting her hand on her back. _

_"__My dear, you have no idea how much it gladdens me to see you again after so long, despite that you don't yet remember." _

_"__What? Remember what? Have we met before?" she asked as the woman guided her closer to the throne. _

_"__A lifetime ago it was, a lifetime ago my dearest when peace reigned." The hand not resting on her back waved towards the glass and curious she turned to look, wondering what exactly the woman was trying to show her, the planet perha… Eyes widening she stepped closer, marveling at her own reflection. _

_"__Is that me?" But it couldn't be. The girl staring back at her just as shocked was striking with her milk-white skin, smooth and flawless, her dark curls spilling loose down her back except for two buns that kept some away from her face and her silver doe-eyes. She was dressed in a regal white gown, sleeveless and cinched at the waist. Pearl bracelets hugged her upper arm ending in outstretched silver wings. Rubbing at the golden crescent moon on her forehead she looked back at the woman, "That isn't me." _

_"__But it is. She is as much part of you as you are her."_

_"__That doesn't make any sense."_

_"__It will, in due time," the woman's smile vanished and a mournful expression took its place "I am so sorry, truly. You might hate me for what I have done one day, but know that I have always and will always treasure you, daughter." _

_"__Daughter?" _

_Instead of answering the woman bowed her head touching their foreheads, silver tresses curling around midnight blue as hands grasped her shoulders shaking, shaking…_ blinking awake, she stared at the ceiling dumbfounded trying to recall the strange dream she had had, as it kept slipping away, blurring into shadows until she could no longer remember what it had been about.

"Wake up, Yuuko, it's nearly time for school."

Wait what? Looking at the frowning woman above her, she jerked away, head smacking into the window sill. Howling in pain and clutching her head, cursing the idiot who'd placed the bed next to the window she tried to focus on the strange woman and the bedroom that clearly wasn't hers.

"…you should hurry up if you don't want to be late for school. Did you stay up last night again reading manga? I swear to God I don't know what to do with you anymore."

"Who are you?" And why are you speaking Japanese? She wanted to ask as she finally found her words and thank the fuck that she had actually learned the language or she would've been in a world of pain and confusion. Not that she wasn't already, stupid window sill. The woman blinked, her mouth opening and closing with a soft sound, before leveling her darkest glare at her.

"Young lady if you think this is the time for jokes I'll have you know that you'll be in a world of pain. I don't want to hear excuses, you are going to school, you are taking the exams and you will get passing grades or else. Am I clear?"

"Y…yes?"

"Good, you have half an hour to get ready so better get on with it." And with that the woman was gone, smashing the door so hard that it rattled its frame leaving her to stare after her in disbelief. Was she still dreaming? Pinching her elbow as hard as she could, nails and all, she hissed at the sudden stinging sensation.

"Okay, then not dreaming…" rubbing her smarting skin she looked around the room trying to get her bearings. It was cute and feminine, small but smartly furnished to create the idea of space and there was something familiar about it, although she couldn't place her finger on it. She was sure she had seen it somewhere before, but she was also sure she had never been here before. Turning her back on the bedroom she opened the window and stuck her head out looking around the neighborhood. She felt like she had been punched in the gut as she noticed the few signs, all written in kanji and hiragana. Chatter from the streets below was also in wait for it, Japanese. "Toto I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

Turning back to the room she gently closed the window and tried to stifle the panic steadily building inside her. She was shaking as she stood up and moved to the mirror where a uniform had been hung up for her. A fuku that she had seen before in an anime, it had been some years and that's why it took her a few minutes to place it before the image of a crybaby, klutz with odango pigtails popped into her head. Touching the fabric of the skirt gently, she rolled it between her fingers as her brain went blank. Because really? Sailor Moon? Seriously, what was she twelve?

"Okay, okay, logically…let's think this logically. You're clearly in Japan, Tokyo by the looks of things," The building in the distance couldn't be anything but. She had never been to Tokyo but she could recognize Tokyo Tower from pictures, so at least there was that "You're in a bedroom that isn't yours where there's a uniform just like Usagi's," and here she huffed swallowing back laughter "Okay, I can do this…whatever this is. Yeah, right."

For now she would just go along with this madness, find a phone and call her parents. Go from there. Feeling better now that she had thought of a plan she moved around the room trying to find what she needed to do. Apparently today was a Monday going by the bunny calendar on the desk. Thankfully her bag had been packed the night before and all she needed was to get dressed, so after some fumbling around she found a bag with everything she needed to get ready, picked the fuku and went in search of a bathroom.

The woman from before was atop the stairs, holding a basket of clothes and levelled a glare at her "Why aren't you ready Yuuko?"

"Uhmm…."

Sighing, she opened the door to the bathroom and ushered her inside with a grumbled 'You never change', before leaving. Alone and more baffled than she had been before, she hopped in the showers and got ready as fast as humanly possible. Once dressed she moved back to the bedroom picked her bag and slipped on her heeled shoes, before going downstairs. Now came the hard part.

"Leaving?"

Whirling around, startled by the woman she meekly nodded "Yup, I'm off."

"Alright, here's your lunch, sleepyhead. Good luck at school."

Taking the offered lunchbox she nodded stiffly and left. It was a beautiful morning outside, the sound of traffic muted as the suburbia came slowly to life. The sky was a soft blue with gentle puffs of white rolling lazily around, but for the life of her she couldn't appreciate it at all. Craving a cigarette and wondering in which direction she should go, she fought back tears at the sudden feeling of panic welling yet again inside. She was nineteen years-old for the love of Jesus, so what if she couldn't make heads or tails of the situation? She would find a way out or make one for herself.

"There's no luck, but that which you make for yourself." She murmured and looked around until she spotted another girl dressed like her and began following her. A part of her wanted to stop and look around, take in her surroundings, because holy moly she was in Tokyo and when was she going to find another chance to be here? She had to force herself to trail the girl and not stop to gawk and gape at everything like a foolish tourist. So lost in her mind she didn't hear the approaching footsteps until a hand caught her in the back and nearly toppled her.

"YUU-KO-CHAN!" the girl smiled as she helped her straighten "Didn't you hear me? I kept calling your name for like five minutes or so!" She was pretty with reddish-brown hair cut straight to her neck, gathered in a cute bow away from her face and soft blue eyes and OH HOLY MOLY!

"N-Naru?"

"Who else dummy?" she giggled "Let's go before we're late. Honestly I'm kinda surprised you'll be on time for once. Did Ikuko-san wake you up? And why aren't you wearing your hair up?"

"Uh…" How was she supposed to answer to the sudden onslaught? Ikuko, was that the name of the woman who woke her up?

"You alright?" Naru asked, frowning "You don't have to be nervous, I'm sure you'll be fine, even if English isn't your forte. Miss Hard said that the test wasn't going to be very difficult this year."

That was the least of her problems, but instead of saying so she merely smiled "I think I'm still sleepy, that's all."

"You sure?"

"Yes, very sure."

By now she could see the school yard, students streaming inside, girls dressed like Naru and she. Most of the boys were wearing black, high-necked uniforms and she took a moment to marvel at the surreal picture. She was actually going to experience how it was like to actually be in a school where uniforms were mandatory. As they stepped inside the school and Naru made for the lockers to change her outdoors shoes with the ones for inside she took a moment to panic. Which one was hers? Naru glanced at her and sighed as she opened another locker, close to hers before handing her the white ballet flats.

"Come on, it's not going to be the end of the world. You don't need to look like you're going to your execution."

"Hahaha, right." Taking her shoes off and putting on the ballet flats on, she thanked her lucky stars that they'd put Naru in her path. She would have been completely lost otherwise.

"Morning!" a long-haired brunette greeted as she moved to change her own shoes.

"Morning, Yumiko." Naru moved next to the girl and both turned to look at her, waiting expectantly.

"Ah, right. Good morning." Really, really? Face meet palm, because seriously couldn't she draw more attention to herself?

"What's wrong with you, Yuuko?" Naru laughed at Yumiko's owlish expression

"She's jittery because of the test."

"You didn't study again, Yuuko? Don't worry I'm sure you won't do _that_ badly."

"Right. Thanks, I guess." She let them take point and trailed behind, listening to their conversation only with half an ear. What kind of reputation did this Yuuko have that all her friends seemed to assume she was a bad student? Was she like Usagi?

Their classroom was half-filled when they stepped inside and she froze once more looking around hopelessly. How was she supposed to know which desk was hers? Naru and Yumiko moved to take their seats and she fallowed, just trying to take deep breaths and not show just how panicked she was on the inside. It was probably showing on her face from the worried looks the two girls gave her.

"N-Naru, could you please help me sit down? I think...I'm not feeling very well."

"What's wrong? You're so white you look like you've seen a ghost." Yumiko said as Naru guided her to a desk at the back of the room next to the window.

"Do you need water?" the redheaded asked as she helped her sit

"No, thanks. I just felt faint for a moment."

"Nerves, right? Good mornin'" a short-haired girl greeted them as she moved next to Yumiko "I know how you feel. Seriously I could barf from the stress."

"Wow, you could have kept that for yourself. We didn't need to know." Yumiko wrinkled her nose, crossing over to her own desk. The new girl merely shrugged, her cheeks turning red.

Naru giggled "Morning, Kuri."

"Morning." She remembered this time to greet back, trying and failing to summon a smile.

"You didn't study again, did you?" Kuri teased good-naturedly, shaking her head "Well no need to make yourself ill because of some stupid test. Just, take it easy. Even if you flunk it's not like we won't be your friends anymore."

Was that supposed to be encouraging? Naru sighed and turned to look at her "Do your best, Yuuko."

"Right, thanks."

By now the class was full and the girls said they'll take after the test as they moved to their desks. Despite the chatter, everyone was sitting down and she belatedly remembered that students in Japan had to be seated before the teacher's arrival.

"Everyday is a school day, indeed." Slouching back in her seat, she looked out the window, letting herself admire the view and nearly missing the teacher's arrival and the classroom president's words.

"Rise." Like one the student body rose as a woman in a smart pinstripe suit with light hazel hair stepped inside and she scrambled to do the same "Bow. Be seated."

"I'll be taking the attendance now." The teacher said before opening the ledge and calling names. Unless there were two Yuuko's she was sure she would be fine, so as the teacher moved through the names she let herself look around trying to memorize the faces that went with the names. Usagi hadn't yet arrived but as she looked around she was also startled to see that there was no seat free even if the blond arrived late.

"Tsukino Yuuko." She looked back at the teacher and blinked "Tsukino Yuuko" the teacher raised an eyebrow as her classmates turned to look at her.

"Uh, who me?" flushing beetroot as the entire class tittered as one and the teacher gave her a very unimpressed look, she sank further in her chair. Only then what the teacher had called her hit home.

"Tsukino-san this is the last time I call your name, if you don't answer to the hall with you. Tsukino Yuuko."

"Hai."

"Good, now moving on…"

Staring down at her desk, she felt like smashing her head against it. All morning she had had the answer to her questions and she had ignored them. She was so stupid. The reason the room looked so familiar wasn't because she had seen it in a magazine, hell the fuku should have given it away as Usagi's bedroom at once. The woman who had woken her, fair enough she didn't exactly look like how she remembered Usagi's mom but when Naru had said Ikuko why hadn't it ringed a bell? Then there was Naru herself.

The teacher paused before her desk and handed her a paper before moving on and she took a moment to breath and search for a pen giving the test a once over. English wasn't her first language, just like Japanese wasn't, but she had been studying the first since she was six, the latter was more a problem since she had been learning it only for five years. What she couldn't understand was how she ended up here? If she had somehow replaced Usagi wouldn't it had made more sense if people called her Usagi instead of Yuuko? And where exactly was the blond? Had they taken one another's place? She needed to call her parents and she needed to do it pronto. This was seriously getting out of hand. Finishing the test as quickly as she was able, she moved to hand it to the teacher who gave her a pinched look.

"I'm done, sensei."

The woman sighed and gave her paper a once over, comically doing a double back.

"Am I free to go? I need to use the restroom."

"Uh, well, sure." The look Haruna gave her, because it couldn't be anybody else, would have made her laugh any other day. Haruna watched her like she couldn't believe she was real as she left the classroom to find the teachers lounge.

Despite the sense of urgency that had overtaken her, she had a sinking feeling that the call she was about to make wouldn't be of any help. There was a niggling suspicion at the back of her mind that whatever this was it was only the beginning.

And she was right.

_"__The number you have called couldn't be reached."_

Thanking the teacher who had let her make the call she moved as if in a daze, wondering what and how she was going to get out of this mess. Stopping before a window she stared at her reflection — the oval-shaped face framed by loose, blond curls, taking in the small, almond-shaped brown eyes, the dimpled chin set in a strong jaw, the small smattering of freckled on her high cheekbones and thin, straight nose. All the while she wondered where could Tsukino Usagi be?

"Maybe that's it. Maybe if I find you, I can go home." As she voiced her thoughts she realized that it sounded right. To return home she had to find Usagi, except that she had no idea where to start "No biggie. God, I need a cigarette." Running a hand through her hair, she walked back to classroom one all the while trying to think up a plan and coming up short. She dreaded returning to the house she had woken up in, pretending to the strangers living there that she was theirs and yet at the same time all she wanted was to go to sleep and hope that tomorrow she'd find herself back home.

She entered the classroom and took her seat to the still dumbfounded look on Haruna's face, waiting for the rest of her classmates to finish. Time crawled at the pace of a snail by the time Haruna made them put down their pens or at least that was how it felt to her.

"I'm so glad we're done with this." groaned Naru as soon as Haruna had left coming up to her desk "You sure finished quickly."

"Yeah, it wasn't very hard." Naru's look was one of pure disbelief so she pressed on "Actually, Naru would you like to come by my place today, so we can study?"

"Geez, we have math tomorrow don't we? I can't wait for this week to finish."

"You and me both."

"Sure, why not? I have to look over some of the equations anyway, might as well help you with them too."

"Thanks, Naru. You're the best."

"Flatter, do tell me more."

Smiling at the redhead, she felt for the first time since she'd woken up that things might just be alright, even if she wasn't going home very soon, at least she had someone she could call friend in this place.

And for now that was more than enough.

_Next on Sides of the Moon..._

**Act II. **

**Black Cat, Bad Luck**

[...]

Everything about this was so troublesome. She had finished junior school ages ago and yet here she was fourteen _again_, apparently doing it _again_ and getting ready for the high school entrance exams.

"I want to go ho-GYAHHH!" the sudden weight on her shoulder nearly toppled her as she propped a hand against the tree it had fell out of , trying to remain upright. Turning her head around she meet a pair of garnet-colored eyes "You bitc…." she could feel the cat's flexed claws through the material of her blouse and decided against finishing the sentence "Never. Do. That. Again."

[...]


	2. Act II Black Cat, Bad Luck

**Disclaimer: **I still own jack.

**A/N:** Thank you everyone who viewed, especially those who favorited, followed and reviewed. This is why you'll be getting another chapter today, a shorter one because the third is so long. I mean seriously I have never written fifteen pages of Word before. It's something of a crowning moment for me and I can't wait for you, my reader, to get your hand on it. I apologize before hand for any grammar mistakes you see, I'm apparently only able to write when I'm running on my last batteries so there might be some typos or something. I'm proof-reading as I go and trying to keep it mistake proof, but I might miss a thing or two. Oh, I cannot wait to get in the later arcs and for you to find out what's really happening here, but for now dum dum dum dum...Also **WARNING** for supposedly underage smoking. Keep in mind people that Yuuko's actually nineteen years-old, entitled to her own mistakes and nobody is perfect. On with the show now, enjoy.

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><p><strong>Act II. <strong>

**Black Cat, Bad Luck**

The newly christened Yuuko moved silently through the kitchen as she readied her breakfast. She had been awake for an hour as to avoid any sort of interaction with her 'family' who despite being early risers wouldn't be up at five nearly six in the morning. It was childish of her, but she had no idea how to act around them, especially her 'Mom'.

It had been just yesterday that she had woken up having apparently taken Tsukino Usagi's place and despite the fact that she had more or less accepted the hand she'd been dealt, it still left her reeling at times. Even the name she was called by everyone was a hindrance, she barely thought of herself as Yuuko and every time someone said it she felt the need to look over her shoulder to see who they were talking to. Running butter over her toast and salting it she took a bite and munched unhappily.

She had managed to avoid most interaction with the Tsukino's by inviting Naru over and staying inside Usagi's bedroom studying, but she knew that once the weekend was here she wouldn't be able to steer clear of them. That and she actually needed to start finding info about Usagi's whereabouts. As far as she could see, it was as if the girl had never been here. She had to try and get her hands on a family album since the Tsukino's apparently hadn't put up photos, but mostly she thought about bringing up the name Usagi. How exactly was she supposed to bring up the name she had no idea, but of one thing she was certain and that was she needed to not ignore her 'family'.

Taking a sip of the strong coffee she had made, she sighed, resting her head atop the table.

"Yuuko?" jerking upright she looked at the lanky man blinking owlishly at her as he moved inside the kitchen "Why are you up this early? Are you drinking coffee?"

"Uhm, yes?"

"Since when do you drink coffee? You're only fourteen, you don't need it yet."

"I like the taste?"

Laughing he rubbed at his eyes and moved to pour himself a cup from the still warm pot "That's a first if I ever heard one. Since when do kids these days like coffee? I sure didn't when I started drinking."

She squirmed and made to butter another toast wondering how exactly to respond. Despite wanting to go home the past few years had only cooled her relationship with her parents. She still loved them but all her trust in them had vanished. It had been a gradual thing that started after her dad lost his job and did nothing while her mom spent every waking hour working to support them and pay the debt they'd got at the bank.

Her parent's relationship which had once been admired by everyone had dwindled into nothingness. They began avoiding each other in their own home, sleeping in separate rooms, but mostly ignoring the other and over time they had gotten so caught in their silent war that they had completely forgotten they had kids. Mom was always busy nowadays and hardly had time for them and Dad despite having free time was almost never at home.

Her sister and she had found their safety zone suddenly pulled from underneath their feet, but they'd shouldered on. Instead of going to them when they needed help or just an ear to talk about their problems like they'd done in the past they had found people who cared about them. Friends were after all the family you choose, so to say she had no idea how to daughter anymore was an understatement.

"You're far away I see." startled from her musings she looked at Usagi's dad "Also I'm surprised, you made an excellent coffee."

"Thank you."

It was then that Usagi's mom appeared in the kitchen's threshold, looking bleary eyed "Why're you up at this hour?"

So much for avoiding the parents, apparently "Couldn't sleep."

The woman hummed as she narrowed her gaze on her husband's cup "Gimme that."

Laughing at his wife's antics Usagi's dad passed her his cup "I'm going to get ready before Shingo wakes up."

Staring at the toast in her hand, she tried to ignore the sudden twinging pain in her chest and the envy she felt that Usagi's parents were still so close. Soft hand moved her hair away from her face as the woman leaned over to stare at her face "You alright, sweetie?"

In that moment she felt brittle as if she was about to shatter into a thousand pieces and never be able to piece herself back together "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright then, I'll start breakfast in a second."

"No need, I've already eaten. I need to get going anyway."

"This early?" Ikuko looked at the clock "And what about you bento?"

"It's almost six and I want to study a bit more before today's test. As for lunch I'll just get something to eat, don't worry about it."

"Yuuko…"

"I'll be fine, really. See you later." Slipping her shoes on and waving without turning back, she run out the door. It was chilly since the sun had yet to rise but not so cold that she needed a jacket. At this hour the chirping of birds seemed annoyingly loud, but for once she was glad of it. Smiling at her thoughts she let her eyes wonder around taking in the sights as she moved to find a convenience store that wasn't so close to her house and bought a King Size Seven Stars Menthol cigarette pack. When in Rome and all that, smoke what they smoke.

She moved to the parking lot of a small apartment complex nearby the store and lit her first cigarette before taking a drag and letting it out. It tasted cool and minty on her tongue, nowhere near as heady as she was used to, but she couldn't very well go to junior high smelling like she'd been smoking even if she had.

Leaning against the wall, she blinked sleepily as she took another drag letting her eyes wonder heavenward. The sky had lightened to a pale blue with the barest hint of pink when it was suddenly obscured by a black face with garnet-colored eyes and a bald spot on its forehead in the shape of a crescent moon. Yuuko blinked and the garnet-eyed cat blinked back.

"Well fuck, I completely forgot about you." the cat cocked her head to one side before sitting back on its behind. She took one last drag from the cigarette before snubbing it and moving away from the wall. She stared, the cat stared back. It lasted until the shrieks of a group of small boys passing by had both cat and girl turning to look at them. "M'kay, so I better get going. Take care."

Waving at the cat who merely cocked her head to the side again, she left the parking lot behind and hurried to school. It was still too early, but that was fine she could look over her notes one last time before the math test. That way she wouldn't have been lying to Ikuko. On a more serious matter what was she supposed to do about Luna and the Senshi? Would she be forced to step up in Usagi's place? Groaning at the thought, because there were so many things wrong with this picture, with the mere idea that she might have to be Sailor Moon, better not get started. No, what she needed to do was find Usagi because the Senshi needed her both as Sailor Moon and as their Princess. It had only been a day she had time, she just had to keep reminding herself that.

Recognizing the slim figure ahead, she grinned and decided to return the favor from yesterday. Taking off a run she brought her hand as hard as she could on Naru's back with a happy cry "NA-RU-CHAN!"

"Offf!" the redhead tripped and flailed much to Yuuko's amusement. Whirling around and leveling her best glare at the sudden innocent look on her friend's face Naru vowed vengeance "You're dead."

Throwing her head back, she couldn't stop the sudden laughter at the peeved look Naru gave her.

"Hey, I'm being serious here! You are so paying for this! In cheeseburgers and fries later at the arcade."

"It's a date."

"In your dreams, maybe." Naru teased back as they started walking again

"More like my nightmares."

"Hey, I will have you know that I make a marvelous girlfriend."

"And I am sure whoever you chose to date will be lucky that you'd bothered to give him your attention, darling." her words seemed to amuse Naru something fierce as she ducked her head, smiling and flushing at the same time. "But how about we turn to conquering math and leave how good we'd be as girlfriends for at the arcade."

"Right, I can't believe you just said that."

"Hey, I will have you know that smart things can come out of my mouth sometimes too!"

Giggling the two chattered on and off about math and nothing and everything as they arrived to school. While yesterday time had seemed to move at a crawl, today it couldn't go faster, but that was mostly because she had trouble recalling solutions to most of the math problems and doing so many calculations that her head was spinning by the end of the school hours.

"I'm half sure I'm not passing this one." she told Naru as they changed into their outdoor shoes "I need serious help when it comes to math."

"Oh my God, who are you and what have you done with my friend?" Naru chortled, not seeing the barely hidden wince Yuuko did as they left the school grounds "I'm so glad that tomorrow we have Japanese, you have no idea. I need to revisit some kanji but besides those I'm not touching anything else."

"Tell me about it." The arcade wasn't very far from school, which was probably why it was so popular with most students. She looked around trying not to appear as if it was her first time here and fallowed Naru to a table booth near the back. "What was it I had to pay? Cheeseburgers and fries?"

"And a milkshake." Naru nodded sagely

She thought about it for a moment before putting her hand out "Then tomorrow you're paying. Deal?"

Naru contemplated her outstretched hand before taking it "Deal."

"Heya, Naru-chan, Yuu-chan. Long time no see." A tall, blond man greeted them, handing each their own menu "How's school been?"

"It's been, Motoki-san. We'll have cheeseburgers and fries and strawberry milkshake?" Naru looked at her waiting for her approval which she absentmindedly gave, trying not to stare at the blond guy who had been Usagi's fantasy up until Mamoru. If she had no idea how to act around Usagi's parents, she was even worse around Motoki.

"Coming right up."

"You're acting weird, what's wrong?"Naru asked as soon as Motoki wasn't in hearing distance "Usually you're all kyah, kyah, Motoki-nii-san and now all of a sudden you don't even say hi?"

"Shut up, Naru!"

"You're really something, you know that, Yuuko?"

"Tell me about it."

Two hours later they parted in front of the arcade and went their separate ways. She was feeling so drained all of a sudden. All she wanted was to go home and sleep, instead of staying until late looking over kanji and practicing them, but she also didn't want to do so bad in her test that she'd have to take summer classes. Why did she even care? Did she actually think she was going to be around by the time summer rolled by? Hopefully not, but better prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Everything about this was so troublesome. She had finished junior school ages ago and yet here she was fourteen _again_, apparently doing it _again_ and getting ready for the high school entrance exams.

"I want to go ho-GYAHHH!" the sudden weight on her shoulder nearly toppled her as she propped a hand against the tree it had fell out of , trying to remain upright. Turning her head around she meet a pair of garnet-colored eyes "You bitc…." she could feel the cat's flexed claws through the material of her blouse and decided against finishing the sentence "Never. Do. That. Again."

Luna meowed in such a fake way that she wondered how no one had discovered her yet and butted her head against her chin. Raising a hand she patted her head twice before crossing her arms around her chest.

"What do you want?" instead of answering Luna meowed again and slid into her arms, turning her head upwards to blink innocently at her "Has anyone told you that you're too adorable for your own good? 'Cause you kinda are."

Luna's look was one of pleasure as she butted her head against her arms again "Fine, fine. You can come home with me. Faker." the last word was said more under her breath and yet by the slight twitching of her ears, Luna had clearly heard it. She wondered how exactly she was going to explain this to Ikuko and hoped Usagi's mom didn't have anything against them keeping the black cat.

Surprisingly or not, Ikuko was fine as long as she assured her that she would take care of the cat. She'd found the entire story funny and sweat. After giving the cat some milk to drink and sliced ham to eat, she took her up to Usagi's bedroom and placed her on the bed before taking a seat on the ground so that they were at the same level.

"Luna," the cat straightened at her name, giving her a knowing look "I know you can understand me. Please, I need your help. I'm in over my head and I don't know what to do." she had the cat's attention and so she continued "The day before yesterday I wasn't in Japan, heck, the day before yesterday my name wasn't Tsukino Yuuko. I was someone else. I was nineteen and ready to start my first year at uni and then I woke up here. I don't know why or how, but I know I'm not the one who's supposed to be here. Her name's Usagi. Tsukino Usagi and I don't know where she is, but I need your help to find her."

The cat looked sideways, seemingly lost in thought and she had to wonder if she hadn't been mistaken, if she hadn't simply stumbled upon a cat who was only a lookalike to Luna.

"Start from the beginning." and just like that she found that she could breath, because it was Luna and maybe, just maybe things would be alright.

"Usagi is the one you're looking for. She's the one you recruited, the first and the leader of the Senshi until Venus makes her debut. She's the Guardian of the Moon and the princess you're looking for." at this Luna's eyes widened "I know, I know that's why this doesn't make any sense, because I'm not supposed to be here. She is and she's not. Luna what do we do?"

"I don't know." her face fell at the cat's words "Yet. I need to do some research, see if I can find anything that had to do with her disappearance. If it's as you say it spells trouble for us." sighing the cat stretched her body and hopped atop the window sill "Could you please open the window for me and leave it like that? I'll return once I've found something."

"Thank you, Luna."

"Don't thank me yet, this isn't something I was expecting when I first approached you."

Frowning she unlocked the window "What were you expecting, then?"

"Not this." And without another word Luna was gone, seemingly vanished in the dawning darkness. She remained crouched atop her bed staring outside before coming back to herself. Leaving the window open she turned her back to it and hoped that Luna would get her some answers if not the way back home.

She spent the rest of the night studying and went as far as to use it as an excuse to remain in her room. Thankfully Ikuko didn't protest. She did bring her a plate with onigiri and a mug of steaming sweet tea which she enjoyed in between exercising her kanji. At around midnight, unable to keep going on, she finally called it a night and with one last longing look outside, closed her eyes.

_The halls were empty, devoid of any signs of life, the clicking of her heeled shoes too loud in the stillness that had fallen over this place. The cavernous hallways with its marble pillars ended in an archway that lead to large room where a throne sat, chunks crumbled before the steps leading towards it. The wall behind it was made entirely out of glass, fields of white stretching as far as her eyes could see and seemingly below an entire planet, so close to the surface and yet so far. _

_"__I see you have returned."_

_This time she knew who to expect and when she turned around she wasn't as startled by the white woman. _

_She was just as breathtaking as before, even without the cape, in only a gown of plain cut but rich material. Her flowing cascade of tresses had been half piled atop her head where a golden crescent moon sat nestled among her silver hair. In one hand she held a scepter almost as tall as she was atop which a pair of silver wings stretched heavenwards around the curling crescent moon that gleamed as golden as the one in her hair. Different colored gems had been worked from one end of the crescent moon to the other, a rainbow of colors._

_"__I know you. I've seen you before."_

_The woman looked sad all of a sudden as if her words had pained her however all she said was "I know." _

_The woman drew near, staring her down before her eyes moved to the scepter in her hand "Never doubt, dearest, that you aren't where you were meant to be even if at times it might feel so. We all would like to think that it is destiny or fate, but I can't help but wonder whether it isn't merely us clinging to anything tangible when we find no comfort in the ever changing world." _

_And then the woman handed her the scepter "In the darkest of nights, dearest, in the most hopeless of times there is always a new day, another dawn. There will be times when it will feel as if light has been extinguished, but that is a lie. Darkness is the absence of light and light the absence of darkness, one cannot exist without the other. Light will always cast shadows and darkness will always try to smother and swallow any light in its path."_

_"__You're not making much sense…again."_

_The woman laughed, a rich sound that echoed around the room "Never doubt, dearest, never doubt my love for you. Always I shall be and remain your mother."_

_Her hands tightened around the scepter "But you're not my mother."_

She woke with a start, shivering from the cool breeze on her slick, sweaty skin, and looked down at her clenched hand, slowly stretching her fingers out. The biting edge of the brooch had woken her as she'd gripped it tight enough to draw blood.

It was a pretty thing, but too gaudy for her tastes with two crescent moons filigreed on the silver metal bordered by different colored gems seemingly braided around the metal so they wouldn't fall off. A black and white diamond had been placed between the tips of each crescent moon and something about this made her pause. The woman in her dreams came to mind as well as the tall scepter she'd been holding and then placed it in her hand. Although she could remember that this wasn't the first time she had dreamt of her, she wasn't sure exactly what they had been talking about. Things were apparently still muddled inside her mind.

Looking outside she tried to place the moon but could not find it, all the while wondering what Queen Serenity wanted with her. She turned her gaze back to the brooch, dread only rising.

"Why did you give me this?" but there was no one who could answer her and so she bundled herself back into the covers, clutching the brooch to her chest. Despite how bothered and upset she was, sleep came swiftly.

_Next on Sides of the Moon..._

**Act III.**

**Who Am I?**

[...]

The brooch had turned into a marvelous thing, taller than her petite frame as the queen had towered over her by almost a head and a half, white like the moons on her, ending in outstretched, unfurled wings, three pairs on each side like the wings of a seraph and atop, curling heavenwards the tips nearly touching, was a golden crescent moon. In the middle it had a large gem as pale as milk glass bordered by black diamonds and on each side different colored gems. The closest to the white gem were only slightly smaller but towards the tips the darker colored ones became smaller. There were four on each side.

She ran her fingers over them, belatedly realizing that these were the Senshi colors: red for Mars, golden for Venus, blue for Mercury, green for Jupiter, sea-green for Neptune, navy blue for Uranus, black for Pluto, purple for Saturn.

"At least you look the part." startled out of her thoughts she turned to Luna whose eyes were the size of plates. She'd completely forgotten about the cat.

[...]


	3. Act III Who Am I?

**Disclaimer: **I own zilch when it comes to Sailor Moon. Yuuko is mine however and the plot, too.

**A/N:** I've been thoroughly floored by the reception this story has gotten. Thank you, really, for putting up with this character I've introduced for the reviews, follows and favorite I've got. It means the world to me. As you'll see in this chapter I'm not trying to make Yuuko Usagi's replacement, because she's not. That's why there is no cute growling match with Mamoru, in fact he only makes his appearance as Tuxedo Mask, because she's not Usagi. She's just a girl struck between a rock and hard place and trying to find her way home. The easiest thing to do is of course to go along with it since whatever is happening is because of someone very powerful *cough*QueenSerenity*cough*

Also don't yet be counting on Usagi, she's not making her appearance until the Scouts have to make the journey to the Moon. So it's happening, but not too soon. I'm patently awaiting to see the response this chapter gets and whether it's liked or hated, hopefully I did a half-decent job. Enjoy and leave a comment if you liked it.

* * *

><p><strong>Act III. <strong>

**Who Am I? **

The weekend had come and gone. Despite that Luna had yet to make an appearance. School kept her busy and most of her nights were spent studying. When the weekend had finally arrived she'd been too spent, the white nights she shouldered through, nose buried deep in a book finally catching up so mostly she had tried making up for the lack of sleep throughout the week. Her 'family' had thankfully understood and left her be, but now that she was finished with the tests she hoped to start looking for a solution to the problem at hand. Find Usagi and get the hell out of dodge.

Yawning around her toothbrush, because not even two days and nights of sleep had been enough for her apparently, she rinsed and shuffled in the tub for a quick shower. She took her time scrubbing herself clean, knowing that she still had an hour until she had to be at school. Once finished she dressed and went downstairs. Ikuko was fleeting around the kitchen counters preparing their bento while Shingo sat at the dining table munching cereals. Picking up a toast, buttering and salting it she made quick work of the piece of bread.

"Is there any coffee left?"

"Papa left some for you. Here." Ikuko smiled handing her the cup. By now both Ikuko and Kenji had gotten used to seeing her drink coffee. She mostly didn't know what to make of their easy acceptance and a nasty part of her mind wondered what they'd make of her smoking habit. She buried the thought as soon as it sprang to mind, taking a sip of the lukewarm beverage.

"Thank you," she murmured as Ikuko handed her the wrapped bento, draining the cup "Well, I'm off."

"Wait for me. I'm also leaving."

She slipped her black heels on, waiting for Shingo to tie his sneakers and then they were off.

"Have a nice day, you two!" waving back at Ikuko they moved down the sidewalk.

While she had interacted with Usagi's parents, out of necessity than actual desire, she had barely afforded her younger brother a glance in the past week. To say she was quite clueless as what to do right now would be an understatement. Was she supposed to strike up a conversation? Maybe ask about school? She was so troubled by her thoughts that she failed to see the concerned look Shingo levelled her.

"You okay, sis?" blinking owlishly she turned towards him

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. You've been kinda weird, lately."

"In a good way or a bad way?" she asked

"In a weird way." he said after pondering the question for a few moments "But you're still my sister even if you're weird, so it's okay, I guess."

She gave him a wan smile and promptly tripped, scrapping her hands and knees as she ended on all fours.

"Is that a cat?"

Whirling around with a pained hiss, she stood glancing at her hands and knees before looking down at the black cat peering back with the most heart wrenching miserable puppy eyes she had ever seen. Where her bald spot had been now were two band aids crisscrossing one another.

"Shingo can you take the band aids off?" she asked the boy as she fetched around her bag for a handkerchief to wipe away the blood on her smarting knees and palms. Why did Luna have to sprawl in the middle of nowhere?

"Uhm…"

"Don't worry, she won't hurt you. Won't you, Luna?"

The thought of his older sister seeing him scared over a cat seemed to embolden Shingo who crouched before the black cat. Luna gave a pitiful sound as he picked her up and gently peeled back the band aids. With a shake of her head and a stretch of her lithe body, the cat jumped from the boy's arms back on the sidewalk.

"She's kinda cute."

"Too adorable for words, I know." her eyes had never left Luna who at her gaze merely shook her head so slowly someone would've mistaken it for something else. She hadn't found anything. Figures, of course, why should things ever be so easy?

"Let's get going we wouldn't want to be late would we?"

"Right."

They parted ways when they reached the schoolyard, Yuuko making a beeline for Yumiko and Kuri while Shingo went in search of his friends.

"Morning, chicas!"

"Since when do you speak Spanish?" Kuri asked, frowning

"One word doesn't mean I know Spanish."

"Still, more than I did."

"You're such dorks." Yumiko sighed, shaking her head

"And you love us anyway, don't you Yumiko?" she grinned slipping her hand between the brunette's elbow "Onwards, minions. To class with us."

Kuri snickered as she bantered with Yumiko all the way to the classroom.

"Morning!" Naru greeted them, practically skipping inside the classroom.

"Well, someone sure is lively today." she muttered to the other two girls who nodded back "Heya, Naru. What's going on?"

"Mama promised she'll let me chose something from her store, no matter the price." Naru squealed, her eyes practically sparkling.

"Oh my God! How cool is that? What do you want to choose?" Kuri clapped her hands dreamily as Yumiko sighed happily.

"Something with diamonds, maybe. I haven't decided yet!"

"Hey, Yuu-chan, what's wrong?" Naru asked finally noticing how quiet Yuuko had gone "You okay? You're very pale?"

"Am I? I didn't eat much at breakfast." Yumiko and Kuri started teasing her good-naturedly but Naru still looked worried. She offered the redhead as bright a smile as she could as her mind tried to understand why Naru's mother would allow her something from her jewelry shop regardless of price. That didn't sound like Osaka-san and while she had only meet the woman once, the last week when she'd studied at Naru's, she hadn't come exactly as a very soft-hearted woman. Could it be that things had already started moving along? Her throat felt dry as her mind went back to the brooch she'd taken carrying on her everywhere she went. Was that why Queen Serenity had given it to her?

They took their seats to wait for Haruna-san's arrival. What should she do? Ask Naru if she could come by her house today and see whether or not Osaka-san was still herself? Would she even be able to tell if Osaka-san was human? Greeting Haruna-san's arrival with the rest of the class, she tried thinking about what she should do if today proved to be the fateful day of Usagi's change from crybaby to superhero all the while fighting back a groan. Maybe Luna could help, she was sure the cat had followed her to school. She could try and find her and then…

"Congratulations, Tsukino-san. You've surprised me in the most pleasant of ways. Keep up the good work." Haruna smiled proudly as she called her upfront to give her the test results. Taking a moment to marvel at the one hundred underlined in red, she sketched a small bow and accepted the paper going back to her desk. This was probably the only test she had aced. Oh well.

"You got a perfect score?" shrieked the closest classmates to her when lunch break finally rolled around and Naru had come to ask how she'd done. Umino had also come flashing his almost perfect score and was now scrambling to pick himself off the floor. He was kind of a weird guy who didn't have friends because he was a complete otaku and nerd, but she supposed he wasn't that bad. She'd meet weirder guys and what did that say about her?

"Wow, we should totally celebrate this!" Kuri cheered, googling the paper with Naru and Yumiko peering over her shoulders still disbelieving.

"How about we wait and see what a disaster I've done on the other tests? English is probably the only one I got a good score, the rest I don't even want to think about them."

"Still, how often is it that _you_ get a perfect score?"

What was that supposed to mean? She picked her bento and plucked the paper out of their hands placing it in her bag "Alright people, show's over. Let's mosey."

"Mosey?" Yumiko asked as they all fallowed out the classroom "Where are these things coming from?"

"Actually, I think that was a clear reference for the Crisis Core game." began Umino, nervously playing with his glasses "I'm surprised she even knew it."

"Huh?" Kuri blinked as Naru guided them to the benches near the baseball grounds.

"It's one of the games from the Final Fantasy 7 compilation." Umino jaw slackened as the rest turned to stare dumbfounded at Yuuko "What? I like them. They have hot guys and a cool storyline."

"Okay, hot guys and a cool storyline I can accept." Yumiko sighed, one hand over her heart "You turning otaku on us now that is unacceptable."

Laughing they sat as Umino coughed into a fist "That isn't what otaku means."

She had to laugh at his put off expression, while Yumiko merely shrugged. Yumiko sat next to Naru, leaving her to take a sit with Kuri.

"So what kind of jewelry are you going to pick?" Yumiko asked recalling Naru's good news this morning as they all turned to the redhead.

"Hmm, actually I've no idea, but mom said I didn't have to hurry and make a decision so I'm taking my sweet time trying different rings and earrings."

"What's the occasion?" Yuuko found herself asking.

"Well, mom's having discount sales this week. I don't know what's gotten into her but the prices have become super affordable."

"Oh My GOD!" squealed Yumiko, clapping her hands together "Really? I'll drop by later!"

"Me too!" agreed Kuri as the three giggled enthusiastically "What should I get? Maybe a diamond ring?"

"Or earrings!"

"A necklace, perhaps?"

Yuuko sighed, listening with only half an ear to them. She was doomed. She was so dead. Her new name should be Kaput not Yuuko. Biting into the rolled omelet and barely tasting it, she finished her bento faster than the others and made excuses about needing the bathroom and that she'd see them in class, could Naru please take her bento box and leave it on her desk, please? Waving goodbye she moved to search the school grounds, trying to spot a certain black feline.

What was she going to do about the jewelry shop if her feelings proved true? Could she even do anything?

"Luna?" she called moving behind a tree "Where the heck are you?"

"Here."

She looked up at the tall fence surrounding the school, spotting the garnet-eyed cat sitting prim and proper atop it.

"There you are. I think we have a situation on our hands."

"Like the fact that you're not the one I was searching for?"

"More like Dark Kingdom minion trying to gather life energy from unsuspecting humans, but I'm not sure about it," she waved her arms around when Luna's ears perked up and her tail stiffened "We'd have to go investigate, but I don't know if I'd be of any help."

The cat looked sideways with a sigh "Why can't I catch a break?"

"Uh, am I supposed to answer that?"

"No." Luna stretched, looking her down "I've looked into your situation and you're right. Until a week ago there was no Tsukino Yuuko. Mind you most people won't even notice and you're papers are more than good enough to pass human scrutiny but the whole things reeks of magic, a very powerful spell."

"Something maybe Queen Serenity did?" Luna blinked down at her.

"It's a possibility. What makes you think she had anything to do with this?" the cat waved a paw in her direction as she fished for the golden brooch inside her skirt pocket "Where did you get that?"

"She gave it to me, I think. I had a dream about her and the Moon Kingdom the first day I got here and the second night too. I can't really remember what exactly we were talking about, not all at least,"

_"__Never doubt, dearest, never doubt my love for you. Always I shall be and remain your mother."_

_Her hands tightened around the scepter "But you're not my mother."_

Shaking her head she brought the brooch upwards so that the cat could look it over "Anyway, when I woke up I was holding this, but I've never had this or seen it before. It was just there, you know?"

"Then it must be magical. I don't think the Queen would bother giving you a pretty bauble that has no powers whatsoever."

She hummed in agreement, staring at the filigreed moons and the different diamonds on each side "Do you think I could transform with this?"

"Only one way to find out, I guess."

The bell announced lunch break over and Yuuko looked back to the school building "Meet me after class?"

"I'll be near the entrance."

They parted ways, each mulling over what they'd found out. When she got back to classroom she told the girls that she'd be going to the jewelry shop with them and tried to concentrate for the reminder of the school day, but after finding that she had doodled all around the borders of her page in Math she gave up as a lost cause. Was the brooch the Queen had given her able to transform her? And was she seriously thinking doing it? Could she even prance around in Sailor Moon's clothes? Take her name for her own? And what did she know of fighting anyway?

Back in her world she had taken a few aikido lessons, but had ultimately given up as a lost cause. She wasn't strong or fast and she hadn't enjoyed getting her ass kicked. Yet here she was seriously pondering whether she could fight supernatural beings that used magic. Sighing as the bell announced the end of school she gathered her things and joined her friends.

Luna was waiting atop the school fence and jumped on her shoulder, nearly toppling her.

"Oh My God! Is that a cat?" exclaimed Yumiko

"Yeah, this is Luna. Luna, everyone." Kuri snickered as she introduced the feline, but Naru seemed enthralled.

"Is it yours?"

"She is her own person, Naru." Luna butted her cheek, appreciating the answer she'd given and let Naru pet her "And her name's Luna."

"For the bald patch?"

"For the roman Greek goddess."

They walked to OSA-P Jewelry, chatting about the upcoming results and wondering how they'd placed overall. Luna had slid into her crossed arms, much to Naru's amusement who warned her teasingly against becoming a crazy cat lady.

It was a sunny day and the streets of Tokyo bustled with activity as people rushed about, going along with their lives. She had never seen anything like it before despite living in a city all her life and tried as discretely as possible to soak it all in, knowing that she wouldn't have a chance to visit again once she returned home. She wondered if she could even tell her friends about this, but somehow she knew they wouldn't believe her. They stopped to get milkshakes for Kuri and Yumiko, but she and Naru abstained and soon they were standing before the jewelry shop.

Even she couldn't help but gawk at the display windows, sighing alongside Yumiko and Kuri and thinking that she'd quite enjoy wearing something so expansive and eye-catching someday. It was packed inside as Osaka-san cried about affordable prices and getting them while they're hot. She glanced at Luna before letting her eyes fall on the redhead woman. Understanding the cat nodded, her entire attention narrowing on Naru's mom as her classmate introduced them.

"Since you're Naru-chan's friends, I'll give you all a discount." the woman smiled as Yumiko and Kuri rushed into the group of women trampling one another to get a view of the jewelry. Naru blinked as her mother turned back when a woman stepped forward to buy a white gold necklace with sapphires, ushering her to the register.

"She's kinda weird, actually. I don't know what's gotten into her." Naru turned to glance at her before shaking her head "Maybe it's just me, but I don't know. She's not really acting like herself."

"I'm sure there has to be a good reason for her behavior."

Naru nodded and she said her goodbye, telling her she'd see her next day at school "Well, Luna?"

"You were right." The cat looked up at her as they stepped outside "That isn't a human."

She felt cold and hot at her words, turning to stare at the shop with a drumming heart.

This was it.

Moving away from the shop, she turned to go home "We'll talk when we get home."

Luna got the hint and didn't say another word until they were in her bedroom. Ikuko had seemed surprised to see the black cat again since it had run away before, the only excuse she had been able to come up with when Luna had left to look into Usagi's disappearance. The woman however only made a joke about strays and let her take the cat to her room too proud about the perfect score she'd gotten. Once the door was closed, Luna jumped atop her bed and turned to face her.

"We need to see if you can transform. Since I don't know what phrase would activate your powers, we need to act quickly and try finding them." she said waiting as Yuuko fished around her bag for the brooch.

"If I replaced Usagi wouldn't her transformation words work on me?"

"Yeah, about that, how do you know so much? I meant to ask you earlier, but it kept slipping my mind."

Shrugging in a helpless gesture, she decided to answer the cat anyway "Where I come from all this," and here she made a vague wave as if to encompass the entire situation, not just her immediate surroundings ", is a story. A fairytale about two star crossed lovers."

Luna made a face "Really?"

"Yeah, so here goes nothing." Her fingers clenched the brooch "Do I really have to shout it?"

"Uh, no. You can just say the words."

"Okay. Moon Prism Power, Make Up."

Luna stared at her fist.

She stared at her fist.

Nothing happened.

"Okay, so those aren't the words. What now?"

"We find other words. Since those were the princess words and she was of a royal bloodline, no offence,"

"None taken."

"Then maybe you don't draw your powers from the same source she does. Her powers wouldn't have come only from the Moon, like yours might. Try saying Moon Power, Make Up."

"Moon Power, Make Up!"

Her fist exploded into light, so white and blinding that she had to close her eyes. She could feel the way her clothes seemed to vanish and for one moment, one breath she was no longer grounded, but weightless she floated suspended in time.

Her blond hair was growing, the roots turning black as the color bleed throughout her curls until there was nothing golden left. A white leotard burst from her chest, as a midnight blue collar with three white stripes unfurled, followed by a golden bow. She crossed her hands over her thighs and a skirt the same color as her collar only bordered by golden at the end appeared, so short she knew she was going to be flashing people. Her arms now sprouted white elbow-length gloves bordered by three midnight blue stripes the same color as her shoulder pads.

When she moved, turning around she felt more than saw the golden bow on her back brushing into existence as it settled on her back. The midnight blue boots with a golden border at the triangular top and white crescent moons burst just as suddenly in a shower of blinding light, cladding her feet.

Rising one hand to her face she felt the tiara settling on her brow, before she had to start waving the hand still holding the brooch as a scepter began growing. Gasping she marveled at it, as the light slowly decreased until it was no more. She knew she had missed some of the finer details, only absentmindedly noticing that she had a choker now or that the v of her skirt had a white crescent moon settled in between it only a bit smaller than the one on her bow. She felt the dangling earrings with every shift of her head, just as she did the feather barrettes atop her head, but her eyes were stuck on the scepter.

The brooch had turned into a marvelous thing, taller than her petite frame as the queen had towered over her by almost a head and a half, white like the moons on her, ending in outstretched, unfurled wings, three pairs on each side like the wings of a seraph and atop, curling heavenwards the tips nearly touching, was a golden crescent moon. In the middle it had a large gem as pale as milk glass bordered by black diamonds and on each side different colored gems. The closest to the white gem were only slightly smaller but towards the tips the darker colored ones became smaller. There were four on each side.

She ran her fingers over them, belatedly realizing that these were the Senshi colors: red for Mars, golden for Venus, blue for Mercury, green for Jupiter, sea-green for Neptune, navy blue for Uranus, black for Pluto, purple for Saturn.

"At least you look the part." startled out of her thoughts she turned to Luna whose eyes were the size of plates. She'd completely forgotten about the cat.

"I do, don't I?" turning to the mirror she stared and comically did a double back taking a step closer. Her eyes weren't supposed to be white! "Holy Moly, I hardly recognize myself."

Luna threw her head back and laughed "That's a good thing."

"Right, right." she blinked, turning this way and that way admiring, despite the urge to pull the short skirt downwards "By the way, I have no idea how to fight or what attacks I have. Ideas? Or should we leave it for later and have me rush in to save the day?"

"I don't like letting that thing draw more human energy from her victims, but in this case I think we can afford an hour or two to see what you can do."

"Alright boss. Let's mosey."

Letting the transformation end, she changed into a pair of jeans and a tank top, before picking up Luna. She told her mother she was going for a stroll and followed Luna's instructions to an abandoned building. Carefully shimmying through a recently broken window she stumbled and fell in a crouch inside an open-spaced room. Even from the outside the building hadn't looked like an apartment complex, so it might've been a business one.

"Transform and let's get started."

"Yes, boss lady."

"Don't call me boss lady." hissed Luna as she said the magic words and transformed "Alright. Now we see what your scepter can do and what you can do without it. Powers are never limited only to the weapon."

"Okay. So…How do I start?"

The open-room was barely visible by the time they were more or less finished. They had barely scratched the surface of what the Moon Scepter, as they'd dubbed it, could do but it would have to do for now. She'd gone to the rooftop of the building at Luna's insistence and proceeded to attempt some running, jumping and diving maneuvers which she shouldn't have been able to do but, oh holy moly she did.

"I think it's time." Luna nodded, giving her consent as she let the transformation die. The feeling of exhaustion that washed over her was excruciating. It wasn't so much that her body hurt, although, even that wasn't that far away from the truth but she felt as if she had spent the entire evening studying.

"You'll have time to rest later. Let's go, quickly."

"Yes, ma'am."

"If you think calling me ma'am is cute, I'll have you know it's not."

Laughing, they left the abandoned building through the same broken window and began the trek to OSA-P Jewelry. She was barely holding herself upright, mostly shuffling ungainly. What a sight she must have made. As they drew near she made a detour through a deserted alley and cracked her neck. It had the fur on Luna bristling which in turn made her laugh.

"Get going already and stop stalling."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am. Moon Power, Make Up."

As the light faded she rushed out of the alley, the few people still about moving out of her way with shocked, disbelieving faces as she skidded to a stop before the store and stepped inside. Naru's mother was leaning over a display case mumbling over the jewelry. Now she could feel the wrongness of the person standing before her. It was something like a prickling, oily and dark sensation at the back of her head, nothing tangible. Even if hard pressed to explain it she wouldn't have been able to put it into words. Or maybe she would've.

Leaning against the glass window she crossed her arms "Out for a stroll m'darling? I'm afraid I cannot allow this farce to stand."

The redhead whirled around, her lips split in a wide smile that showed pointy teeth. She had the look of someone who wasn't all up there "Well, well what have we here? You humans and your stupid clothes, who exactly are you supposed to be?" she cocked her head to the side, the messy curls falling in her face. It reminded Yuuko quite suddenly of the phantom in the Grudge. Ugh.

"Me? I, uh, I am…" her gaze moved around and she was suddenly struck because she wasn't Sailor Moon, her outfit had proven that, but she did have a moon motif going on so who was she exactly?

**_My knight in shining armor… _**

The voice in her head was so familiar for a second she fumbled for words, before straightening. She knew that voice, even if she couldn't place a name to it. She knew it the way she knew that the sun always rose and that tomorrow always became today, it was something she just knew. And it gave her a brilliant idea.

"I am…" she let herself smile "…the Moon's chosen guardian, the Moonlight Knight."

The redheaded woman threw her head back with a manic laugh "What kind of name is that? Nevermind, now that you know my secret you will perish!"

"Mama?" the new voice startled both opponents and as one they turned to look at Naru who stood in the threshold of the door leading from the shop to her house staring in horror at her mother "What's going on?"

The thing posing as Naru's mother growled as her appearance shifted, her hair growing lanky and white as her nails turned into claws "I'll see you two dead!" she roared and launched herself at Naru who was closest.

"Shit!" springing into action she jumped over a counter and somersaulted in front of a shrieking Naru, blocking the monster's claw with her scepter "Back off bitch! Leave her alone!"

The monster only laughed as she batted her claws until the Moonlight Knight brought her scepter into its left side. Howling, the monster stumbled back.

"I will strip the flesh from your bones, human. How dare you? Awaken all servants who gave their life energy for our great master!"

"Goddamnit! Naru, go back into your room and whatever you hear don't come out."

"But my mom…"

"That's not your mother. Now go." she snapped as the glass doors darkened with the silhouettes of thralls, waiting until she heard the door slam behind "Alright, let's rumble!"

By now the shop was full of blank-faced women, some barely clothed, all of them empty-eyed. They lurched forward as one trying to swarm the Moonlight Knight who danced around them, throwing herself over display cases and hoping they wouldn't shatter. There were some very expensive shit about and the last thing she needed was to feel guilty for bankrupting Naru and her mom, if the woman was still alive.

She felt someone slam into her side, sending her toppling to the ground. Barely managing to dive and arrive on one knee, the Moonlight Knight found she had been surrounded on all parts. Jumping to her feet she slammed the scepter on the ground with a cry "Moon Light Shatter!"

The entire building seemed to shake and vibrate as every glass in the immediate surrounding cracked and then shattered to the shocked cries of the thralls. Closing her eyes she immersed herself in the feeling she'd had at the beginning of her transformation and the golden moon on her scepter started burning with such light that the women shrieked in pain and began falling over, running their hands over their faces.

"What did you do?" the monster howled clawing it's face as she glanced at her to see blood running down its face, but a look at the slumped women assured her that their eye sockets hadn't been damaged "What did you do, damn you?"

Jumping atop a counter she ran along it, rushing the monster and bashing it over the head with her scepter. It went dawn, its head slamming quite hard on the ground as the Moonlight Knight twirled her staff around till it was burning so bright and hot that she felt it even with gloves.

"I, the Moonlight Knight, in the name of the Moon sentence you monster to death." she swept the glowing scepter over the monster's neck, the crescent moon going through muscle and bones like butter and gagged as the head rolled of the woman's shoulders and turned into dust, just like her body.

The sudden nausea she'd felt watching the head separate from the body, didn't go away. She had to force herself to breathe through her nose and even that barely helped.

"I couldn't find the Legendary Silver Crystal," the very male voice echoing through the store had her whirling around, scepter raised and regretting it a moment later when her stomach rolled ", but I did see something interesting…"

She couldn't help herself, really, she felt breathless and a bit weak in the knee looking at the cape-wearing figure shrouded in moonlight, because holy moly! Tuxedo Kamen in flesh and blood! Oh geez what if she had puked in front of him? Dear God she wouldn't have been able to show her face any other time to rescue people if it meant bumping into him.

"I am Tuxedo Mask." he sketched a bow "Moonlight Knight… I will remember your name." and with a flourish of his cape he was gone thankfully, because she couldn't keep her churning stomach at bay anymore. Diving to the nearest corner she bowed her head and proceeded to get violently sick, as Luna padded in reaching distance on the nearby counter.

"You okay?"

"I'll be fine…" it took a few minutes to feel well enough to stand, mostly at Luna's urgings as they could hear sirens in the distance. Moonlight Knight and cat slipped away from the crime scene seemingly vanished into thin air as the police cars, ambulances and reporters arrived at OSA-P jewelry. Yuuko, who was back to her civilian clothes, hugged Luna to her chest as they were ushered away from the shop, breathing through her nose to not upset the delicate smelling sense of the feline. Once they were farther away and nearing the Tsukino's house and the streets emptied of people, Luna turned towards her.

"You did good. For someone with only a few hours of training you performed more than excellent. I'm proud of you." she had to smile at that, the feeling of pure joy that swept her was exhilarating. As she opened the front door she was shocked to see Ikuko rushing out the living room looking harried.

"Oh, thank God you're back! There was another attack, their broadcasting live right now and you were gone for hours." putting Luna down she placed a hand over her mouth, unsure what to say before deciding to give a half-truth.

"I know, I was nearby when it happened. I puked my guts when I saw that it was Naru's family store that was hit."

"My goodness, you didn't get close?"

"I was safe, don't worry."

Ikuko spent some good minutes fussing and worrying about her, which felt nice, stopping only when the phone rang.

"Yuuko, it's Naru-chan." rushing from the couch where she'd been made to sit while her mom brewed a pot of coffee for the two of them she took the receiver. Naru was sobbing in the phone asking if she could come spend the night with her since her mom had to be hospitalized and she couldn't be alone right now. Ikuko having heard the entire conversation was already shrugging her coat on.

"Tell her I'll be there in a few and that she should pack her things. No way am I leaving that girl to walk alone at this hour and if you don't mind honey, get dinner started. Your dad was running late and Shingo had taken a nap so I haven't started it yet." and just like that she was gone off to get Naru.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Get your things packed. Mom's coming to pick you she'll be there in half an hour, okay? I'll stay with you on the phone until she gets there, okay? Deep breaths sweetie, deep breaths." She could hear Naru blowing her nose as she hiccupped, trying to put an end to the waterworks and failing "Hey, tell me what happened."

"I, I was doing my homw-work when I went-t downstairs to get water. M-Mom," here she sniffled ", wasn't inside, so I thought to check the store." Naru took a few moments fighting the urge to sob and she felt for her. If it had been hard for her to kill that thing, how it must've felt for Naru to see her mother as a monster, to find out that your mom, the real one, had nearly died "There was this girl there dressed in a fuku,"

"Let me guess, she looked like a porn star." she interrupted and cheered silently when she heard Naru's startled, watery laugh "Go on, I won't interrupt anymore."

"Actually she reminded me of Sailor V, but she was dressed differently and m-mom, it wasn't actually mom, tried to attack me. The Sailor V look alike jumped in front of me and made me go back inside. I called the police and it was so scary and mom was in the basement and the paramedics say she's concussed and that she was beaten badly and she has broken bones…" the outpour of words and the sobs of the redhead made her feel as if she could be sick again. This wasn't like it had been in the anime or the few chapters of the manga she had bothered with. This was so real and tangible that it brought tears to her eyes and she had to fight the urge to cry alongside Naru.

"She's strong, your mom. She's raising you by herself, just think about that," that startled another laugh out of Naru "If she has bruises and broken bones it's because she's a fighter your mom, she'll never let herself quit."

Naru hung up ten minutes later as Ikuko had arrived and she still hadn't packed. For a few moments she stood transfixed with the receiver still next to her ear, before gently placing it down.

"Luna…" the cat perked up from her place on the couch "Is it always like this?"

The black cat looked sideways out the window, her weary gaze searching for something, the moon, perhaps?

"Sometimes it's better, mostly it's worse."

Sighing, she moved to the kitchen putting the washed rice in the rice maker as she placed a wok over the stove, before turning to the fridge to fish around for vegetables that she could sauté and the chicken breast fillet. She thought about what else she could cook as she finished making the coffee, both Ikuko and she had forgotten about.

"What'cha doin'? Shingo yawned as he entered the kitchen, Luna nestled in his arms. He was rubbing their faces together and Luna's eyes sparkled "Why're you cooking? Where's Mom?"

"Yeah, about that…" pouring herself a mug she told Shingo what had happened and that Naru would be staying with them overnight , possibly longer if her Mom couldn't return quickly back home. Shingo was very understanding, but also quite disturbed about what had happened "It's okay, you know? Naru's mom is going to be alright."

"I know…I was just thinking if something had happened to mom," he choked over the last word and she had to throw her arm over his shoulder, pulling him and Luna close as she took a sip from her steaming mug.

"Not going to happen, kiddo. You, me and Luna are going to make sure of that."

"We're going to keep the bad guys away?" he asked quite disbelieving as he pointedly looked at her before turning to Luna, who licked his cheek and had him giggle.

"Don't underestimate her, kiddo. All I'm gonna say."

"Right, because Luna isn't to be crossed."

"Hey, see, you got it."

Ikuko arrived not long after and took over the kitchen, leaving her to settle Naru in. Kenji got home while Naru was taking a bath and she was preparing two trays so that they could eat in her bedroom. While the redhead had calmed down somewhat, she was still prone to bursting into tears and the last thing Yuuko wanted was for her to feel worse after the hellish night she'd had. It was one thing to fight a battle, it was another to stay behind and pick up the pieces.

"You sure, your parents don't mind us eating here?" Naru asked for the nth time her chopsticks pausing before her lips, making her sigh.

"Yes, they won't mind. Now tuck in, 'cause I want to corrupt you afterwards. I've downloaded the newest Marvel movie and we're going to watch it."

"You do know we won't be able to understand a thing if you don't find subtitles for it?"

Goddamn it Naru why did you have to be Japanese!

In the end they ended up watching Hayao Miyazaki movies and fell asleep by the beginning of the second movie, much to Luna's amusement.

_Next on Sides of the Moon..._

**Act IV.**

**Aqua de Vida**

[...]

"Sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Watch were you're going, blondie!" jerking away, flustered and flushed despite the sudden annoyance she felt at the man whose eyes she couldn't meet, she side-stepped around him, turning to glance behind after she'd taken a few more steps. He was staring at her, brow puckered and she felt her heart jump into her throat when their eyes meet. Holy Moly, why the heck was the dude wearing a tuxedo in the middle of the freaking afternoon?

"Weirdo." Pivoting around, clutching her bag to her chest, she decided to stare some more at the flier once she was back home. Ignoring the snickering cat at her feet, she waved the paper over her overheated cheeks trying to bury her embarrassment.

[...]


	4. Act IV Aqua de Vida

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, excepting that or those who I do.

**A/N:** OMG, I nearly updated the wrong chapter. Huh, I'm so sleepy and cannot wait to continue reading the fic I'm halfway through. It's from The Hobbit and it can be found on Archive of Our Own, I don't know if we have it on fanfiction but it's called History Teaches Us and it's a Thorin goes back in time. One of the best there are out there and it's finished. This is the second time I'm reading it while waiting for the author to update its sequel. Anyway, thank you very much for your continued support, without the people following, reviewing and adding SotM to their lists I would've never bothered updating. You guys make my day and rock my boat. Here you have Ami Mizuno's debut. Next chapter comes Hino Rei and I hope you'll like the twists I'll be adding to the story along the way. Now, let's get this show on the road. Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Act IV.<strong>

**Aqua de Vida**

Naru stayed with her for two days more before braving it on her own. Her mom was still hospitalized, but she wouldn't be for much longer, which had helped Naru make her decision to return home faster to get things ready for the older woman. As for her, she hadn't been able to practice as Moonlight Knight with Naru there and Luna had agreed not to risk it, but she couldn't say now that she was free to do so that she was hopping with joy to transform once more.

"What about the other senshi?" she asked Luna who was sprawled between her feet. She'd found a good hiding spot behind a few bushes at school hidden from view as she skipped class and smoked a cigarette "Have you found someone yet?"

"I might've. A girl here at your school, her IQ is said to be over three hundred."

"I think I know her, well know of her," she took a drag, petting Luna's back "Mizuno Ami from class 5, right?"

"That's the one. Now we just have to approach her."

Nodding, Yuuko blew out the smoke, her shoulders sagging.

"You know, that's a very nasty habit to have."

"I think I'll manage." she laughed, winking at the amused look the garnet eyed cat levelled her.

"I'll trail, Mizuno-san for now, see what I can find." Luna said stretching as she snubbed the cigarette and stood. They parted ways, wordlessly agreeing to meet back at her house. Yuuko knew that she would have to see about practicing and finding more about her attacks, but for now she decided to see how she had done with the finals. The overall scores of every student in Juuban Mid School had already been posted and while she hadn't made the fifty list she was thankfully only a few names below.

"Where were you this morning, Yuuko?" Kuri greeted as she, Naru and Yumiko came to stand near her.

"Late again? You never change." giggled Yumiko as more students poured in the hallway from different classrooms looking at their own results and marveling about Mizuno Ami's perfect score. It was a bit disheartening to hear their cold, unfeeling words to someone she knew was a good person, kind and gentle.

"Mizuno-san's really something else, isn't she?" Kuri asked shaking her head as she glanced at her own score.

"It's the Crystal Seminar!"

"Umino!" she gasped jerking away from the boy "Don't scare me like that, you idiot!"

"Sorry." The others seemed amused that she could believe the short, megane boy scary "But as I was saying, she goes to the Crystal Seminar. She was scouted especially for it and she's even their poster face on fliers."

"Wasn't it very expensive?" Naru asked

"Yeah, it's super expensive but Mizuno-san's mother is a doctor…"

"Wow. So she's rich and a genius, the world really isn't fair." Yumiko sighed as Kuri nodded alongside her. Yuuko glanced away feeling annoyed at their words and froze. Further down the hallway, a short-haired girl with glasses was staring ahead with a hard, unforgiving look on her face, but seemed to startle when their eyes met. She whirled around and left, moving briskly back to her classroom and Yuuko wondered if she was Ami.

"Yeah, but she's so cold and unfriendly looking." Kuri sighed as Yumiko hummed under her breath.

"I know I've never seen her with friends before." Naru said

"That's because she's always studying, even during breaks." Umino told them as Yuuko shifted her weight, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Alright, you gossipmongers, that's quite enough. Let's get to class."

Time seemed to fly as most of the day was spent talking about test results and what they could do to improve their scores. For someone who had been dumped into school, long after finishing and hardly remembered what she needed to pass back home, not to mention in a Japanese school, Yuuko felt like she had done passable enough. Her crowning moment had of course been English but at least she didn't have a grade below 62, which in her books was more than fine. Now if only she could convince Ikuko that this wasn't so bad. She thought she might've spoiled the woman by showing her the English test.

Tokyo at this hour was bustling with activity, people rushing to their jobs or simply walking home. The sound of traffic was loud, but nowhere near as annoying as it could be. Further ahead she noticed the same girl she'd seen in the hallway and pondered the pros and cons of approaching her and striking up a conversation. The decision was taken out of her hands when Luna jumped from the tree said girl walked by, startling her. The brunette gasped, staring at the innocent-looking she-devil, not knowing what she was about to get herself into.

"Oh, Luna…" waiting for the sign to turn green she crossed just as the cat threw herself atop the girl's shoulders, moving to the other to rub her furred face against a smooth cheek "I'm so sorry about her," Yuuko began a bit breathless as she stopped short of the blue eyed girl "I hope she didn't scare you."

"Not at all," the girl assured her with a kind smile "When she came down so suddenly from the sky, I thought her an angel." as soon as the words were out of her mouth she flushed beetroot "What am I saying, uhm…"

"Luna, an angel? More like a devil," Luna's tail twitched and Yuuko was sure she would pay for that later ", but I guess each to their own. I'm Tsukino Yuuko from class 1 we go to the same school. You're Mizuno-san, right?"

"Oh, yes, I think I've seen you before. Mizuno Ami, I'm glad to make you're acquaintance."

"So formal, Ami," the first base name seemed to startle Ami "Let's not be strangers, after all, we've both had the same cat giving us a fright by jumping on our shoulders."

"R-right." Ami blinked as if just now realizing what she'd said "She jumped you too?"

"Yeah, Luna's a real figure like that. You can call me Yuuko or Yuu-chan, whatever you like Ami."

Ami seemed pleased by that as she took Luna off her hands, their fingers brushing for just a moment. She didn't know why but Ami suddenly paled staring at her as if she was a ghost "You alright there?"

"What, oh yes!"

"If you're sure. Say Ami would you like to get something to eat with me at the nearby arcade? You have to go to the seminar after school, right? It's next to it so you won't be late, I mean, if you want to, I'm not going to force you or anything…"

"I want to." Ami smiled and she felt her shoulders sagging in relief as she took point, guiding the girl.

The first few steps were spent in a sort of awkward silence before Yuuko decided to just swing it and began telling Ami about the latest Marvel movie she had watched, bemoaning the fact that she had had to wait to see it since Naru couldn't understand English.

"What about you, Ami? Tell me you actually understand English, I'm in dire need of a good movie-watching partner." The brunette had flushed and stuttered that she could understand it well enough "Then it's a date, we just have to set up a night and have an entire marathon."

Ami didn't talk very much in the beginning, but she seemed part pleased and disbelieving that someone was talking with her and being friendly. It was kind of sad actually, but instead of saying so she moaned over Captain America and explained why he should be called Cap Dorito, about how Samuel L. Jackson Nick Fury was, the kickass Natasha handed and the chocolate goodness that was Sam Wilson. By the time they took a booth at the arcade, Ami seemed to finally be accepting that yes she had stumbled on a very chatty, crazy girl. Surprisingly she didn't mind.

They ordered and this time she listened as Ami told her about a series of documentaries she had seen about fourteen English schoolchildren whose lives had been documented since the '60 and every seven years the filmmaker released another one checking back into their varied lives. It was quite interesting and engaging actually. From movies they went to talk about books and Ami was quite surprised that she could keep up with her light reading material. They spent the last minutes Ami could spare before she had to leave arguing about the actions of the protagonist in Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood.

"Sorry, I'm cutting it early, but I've really got to go."

"Stop with the excuses, just go already. I'll see you tomorrow at school."

Offering her a small, shy smile, Ami took off and Yuuko decided to do the same. It had been a good day and while she was tired, she knew that rest for her was still a long time coming. She needed to get in more practice and she had to do it tonight as she had exhausted all her excuses by now and Luna had only made an allowance because of Naru.

"Oh goodie..." sighing she made her way home, changed into more comfortable clothes, endured Ikuko's tirade which thankfully only lasted half an hour and went for a walk. Luna joined hear near the abandoned building and after checking it out and deeming it safe, she entered by way of the smashed window "Man, I'm so tired."

Luna gave her a very unimpressed look and pushed her to the brink of collapse before deeming it alright to stop. She had been sure she would pay for calling her a devil and she had been right, because she could barely move the next day even to just stop the blaring of the alarm clock. Rolling onto her stomach with a pained cry, she thought about skipping school, but ultimately decided against it as Luna prodded and nagged her out of bed. She took a hot bath to loosen her muscles and joined her family at breakfast, devouring the food Ikuko put in front of her before asking for seconds. That surprised the woman who had gotten used to her bird eating, but instead of saying anything she piled her bowl with more rice and chuckled over the way Yuuko practically inhaled everything.

Leaning back into her chair, Yuuko picked her cup of coffee deciding to at least savor this and watched Shingo nodding into his rice bowl. They had started walking to school together, since the day she had first transformed. She had been surprised how much she looked forward every morning to chatting with him about this and that, but then again she had always liked kids in a very closet kinda type because it was very uncool to want to spend times with them. To be truthful she was more comfortable with Shingo than his parents. Yawning around the rim of the cup she placed it down and stood.

"Come on kiddo, off with us."

Groaning, the boy joined her in the hallway as they put their shoes on under Ikuko's attention "Here you go Yuuko, one bento for you and one for Naru-chan. Tell her I'll be dropping by her mom later and to be careful."

"Sure thing." she smiled accepting the two different-colored bento as Shingo took his "We're off then."

"Have a good day and take care."

"We will!" Shingo called back "Oh, yeah I think I finally found someone who can sell me the Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire game for my game boy."

"You do know that I'll be stealing it to try my hand on that game if you get your hands on it?" Shingo laughed as they tossed back and forth game titles trying to think what else they'd like to play. They barely noticed when they arrived at school and parted ways with a promise to pick up where they'd left the conversation.

Humming, Yuuko changed her shoes greeting some of the people she recognized on the way to her classroom. Stopping on the stairs she stared ahead, not taking in her surroundings anymore. She felt happy and maybe she should be more worried about her situation, but Luna had said that she had no idea where to begin the search for Usagi and as worrisome as the thought that she could've been taken by the Dark Kingdom there was also nothing they could do. Until they found her, she couldn't go home. And they had no idea where to start looking for the missing princess. Then there was the possibility that Usagi wouldn't be able to help her. She had a feeling that what was happening was Queen Serenity's doing, but she wasn't one hundred percent sure. Throwing her head back with a sigh, she started walking. There were too many unknowns in this problem and for now all she could do was her best, which she already was doing, so…

Greeting her friends she threw herself in her chair, crossing her arms atop the desk and resting her head on them. She missed her little sister and best friend so fiercely in this moment that she felt like she could cry, but the thought that she'd see them one day made her breath deeply until the urge passed. They'd have kicked her ass to see her bawling like a kid instead of shouldering through, enduring and surviving. And oh, God how many times had they played The Last of Us that they'd started quoting Ellie?

By the time lunch break came she had had enough of being in her mind with only her thoughts to keep herself occupied and joined Yumiko and Naru quite willingly at the back of their classroom, chatting about this and that.

"How about we get ice cream afterwards?"

"I'm so in!" Yumiko agreed with a bright smile while she made a thinking face. The brunette nudged her and Yuuko had to grin back.

"Why not?"

Kuri passed them, her eyes closed as she listed numbers under her breath "Hey, seminar girl want to get ice cream after…"Naru trailed off watching as the short-haired girl didn't even pause on her way out the classroom "Well, that was rude."

"Ugh, what's gotten into her?" Yuuko asked as Yumiko sighed.

"She's started that stupid seminar and now she's too high and mighty for us plebeians."

Yumiko's words made her freeze and throw a frown in the direction Kuri had gone "What seminar?"

"Crystal Seminar, the one we talked about yesterday?"

"Ah, right." it wasn't like Kuri to ignore them, but then again maybe she was having a bad day "Well, I'll see about asking someone else to join us."

"Who?" Yumiko asked as she stood.

"Mizuno Ami."

Instead of waiting to see their shocked faces she tried Ami's classroom only to be directed by the class president to the library. Thanking the stuttering girl, she skipped all the way there, singing.

"…where the girls are pretty, oh take me home…" there were quite a lot of students, not surprising at all and she spent a few moments trying to spot Ami, wondering if the girl hadn't left already "Ah-ha! Ami!"

"Tsukino-san!" the girl looked up from her notebook, quite surprised "What are you doing here?"

"Not studying, that's for sure. Actually I was looking for you. Me and two other friends are going for ice cream after school, wanna join us?"

Ami flushed, a pleased smile on her lips that she was included in such activities "I'd like that…" she stopped mid-sentence as if remembering something, her face blanking and smoothening. Yuuko felt the hair on her back rising as she watched the change and Ami rose to her feet, gathering her things "I'm sorry, I can't. I have to study."

"Hot damn…" she winced as Ami left and went searching for Luna. She found the feline in their hiding place, the bushes, and stopped to light a cigarette as she crouched before her "I think we have a problem on our hands."

The cat turned to look at her "Problem?"

"Life energy sucking minion one and I think Ami might be in the middle of this one."

Luna looked more alert now as she explained what she'd seen with Kuri and now Ami "…and both of them have in common on thing, Crystal Seminar."

"You're right to be suspicious but we need more than Ami and Kuri are acting weird, even if I don't think your hunch is wrong."

"Understood, so what do we do?"

"I'll follow Ami for now and come get you in case you're needed. Also here," her tail flicked the blue pen with a golden cap around her paws towards her ", you might need this and I can't be seen carrying it around. In case you ever need Ami's help, give her this."

"Transformation pen, right?"

"Uh-huh."

Yuuko finished her cigarette and they parted ways. She went about her day and after school stopped with Yumiko and Naru at an ice cream shop, choosing a mint topping, to the disgust of the other two. They chatted about school mostly and spent maybe an hour at a corner table before leaving. Yuuko decided to take the longer route home and get a glance at the building that held the seminar and was surprised to see the street half packed with students as a woman in a severe looking bun with a suit gave out fliers.

"This is our new product, please give it a try." The woman said as she gave her a flier from the pile she was hugging, her smile pleasantly fake. Thanking her she glanced at the paper as Luna sidled from behind a pair of legs near her.

"Found anything?" the cat shook her head as she read the flier as close as she could. She was staring so intently over the flier that she didn't see the person standing in her path until she bumped him "Sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Watch were you're going, blondie!" jerking away, flustered and flushed despite the sudden annoyance she felt at the man whose eyes she couldn't meet, she side-stepped around him, turning to glance behind after she'd taken a few more steps. He was staring at her, brow puckered and she felt her heart jump into her throat when their eyes meet. Holy Moly, why the heck was the dude wearing a tuxedo in the middle of the freaking afternoon?

"Weirdo." Pivoting around, clutching her bag to her chest, she decided to stare some more at the flier once she was back home. Ignoring the snickering cat at her feet, she waved the paper over her overheated cheeks trying to bury her embarrassment. Ikuko greeted them from the kitchen as she made her way upstairs, shutting the door behind her.

"Alright, Luna, how do we get in there? We need to see whether the Dark Kingdom has a hand in this or not."

"I agree." The cat said jumping atop the low table in the room and pointing to a pink pen "We'll be using this pen to sneak inside."

"Luna, tell me we're not stabbing people in the neck."

"Why would we stab people in the neck?"

"Nevermind." picking it up Yuuko pulled a face "Why pink?"

"What does it matter?" the cat asked with a long-suffering sigh "The pen's imbibed with magic that will help you disguise. You change your self by saying Moon Power and telling it what you want to look like."

"Then I guess we're going for a walk. God damn, I want a break or at least a raise."

"Tough luck, soldier. Now move out."

Raising an eyebrow she mock saluted "Aye, aye ma'am."

The sun had yet to set as cat and girl left for their usual walk, moving back towards the Crystal Seminar. At Luna's insistence, Yuuko had taken the blue pen too, but hoped not to have to give it to Ami. She knew it was useless to wish for the shy, cute girl she'd befriended not to have to transform and join in the fights, but Yuuko could still try protecting Ami's innocence. As they neared the building that housed the seminar, she ducked behind an alley and took out the pink pen.

"Here goes nothing. Moon Power, change me into a paramedic!"

The transformation wasn't as disorienting as her senshi form for which she was thankful as she walked out of the alley in the typical garb of an ambulance medic. It was unflattering and the white cap on her head distracting but she managed as she rushed to the front doors, making an excuse about having been told she was needed because of an emergency. Luna had hidden inside a first aid bag she clutched to her chest and jumped out as soon as they were far enough away that the guards wouldn't see them.

"Should I change now or later?"

"Unless Moonlight Knight needs to make an appearance it's best to stay as you are."

"Got it." The halls were deserted as were the classes which she found odd. Wasn't a seminar supposed to be full of students at this hour? She glanced through the glass windows of a room and was surprised to see Ami bent over a computer, the tall flier woman from yesterday standing behind watching the girl work. Besides the two the class was empty. What the heck was going on here?

There was something wrong with this picture and she didn't understand what exactly or at least she didn't until the woman seemed to get cross about something or another, she couldn't hear, and smacked Ami hard enough in the face to send her toppling to the floor.

"That bitch!" she hissed. Monster or not, that was no way of treating a student "Hold it, ma'am!" she said sliding the door to the side and stepping in.

"Who are you?" the woman whirled around staring at her confused. Just like the fight at OSA-P Jewelry there was something on her face that hinted at sinister workings.

"A paramedic, ma'am. We've received a call from Crystal Seminar…"

"There was no such call made, you can leave." Luna had sneaked around the many separated desks to reach Ami and check up on her. Whatever she found there was enough for the cat to throw all caution down the drain.

"Moonlight Knight, you need to transform."

The woman turned towards the cat, moving to kick her with a heeled leg and that was it "Moon Power, Make-Up!"

She only needed a few seconds, but the sound of Luna's small, soft body hitting the opposite row of desks was enough to piss her off. The cat had brought her those precious seconds and she'd paid for it. Her senses heightened and narrowed on the woman's, no the monster's as she jumped over the desks swiping towards her face with the scepter.

"I see," the monster clenched her jaw avoiding the blow", you want to play, girl? I'll show you why you pathetic insects will bow before the Dark Kingdom!" she roared as her nails sharpened into claws and her skin turned dark grey. Papers began flying from the desks surrounding her form at a neck breaking speed.

"Luna, can you stand?" she asked, moving between monster and cat, her scepter raised as the cat shuffled on her paws unsteadily. Moonlight Knight glanced behind at the shaky feline.

"Look out!"

Turning around, just in time, she dived behind a desk as papers flew where she had once stood slicing through floor where they lodged. Just how sharp were those things? Diving again on the open floor as the monster hurled more papers at her she slammed the butt of the scepter down with a cry "Moon Light Shatter!"

Belatedly she realized that she shouldn't have done that, as Ami cried out, either hurt or startled. The monster didn't seem affected. It threw its head back, laughing.

"That attack won't work on me, girl! Morga's mistake won't be my undoing!" the monster brought its hands upwards as a volley of paper smashed into Moonlight Knight, too many and too fast for her to do anything. The papers shredded her skin, slicing it open like ribbons, destroying her outfit, because it hadn't been indecent enough for the monster's taste. One sliced her wrist, the sudden pain making her grip on the Moon Scepter slacken. As she was quite forcefully thrown into the wall, it clattered and rolled down the floor useless. Papers hit her body, trapping her to the wall inches off the floor.

Breathing hard, Moonlight Knight stared at the monster as Ami propped herself on a nearby surface. Her cheek was red and swollen and her eyes terrifyingly blank.

"Ami, you need to get out of here!" she cried desperately trying to rip herself free. The papers felt like lead against her chest, oppressive and immovable "Dammit, Ami!"

"She won't listen. Our brainwashing program is superb, idiotic girl. Using her intelligence we will find the location of the Legendary Silver Crystal for our leader and all of humankind,"

"Yeah, yeah, piss off, bitch!" she snapped, interrupting the monologue as her fingers grasped about the blue pen she'd kept on her, using it to make a rip in the paper so she could slide it out "Don't you know that evil never wins?"

"How dare you?"

"I dare! Luna, the pen!" she'd somehow managed to get it free, the useless thing clattering to the floor as a dark shadow jumped to her side and snatched it between its jaws running back to the still hypnotized girl.

"As if I'd let you!" the monster roared lurching for her feline friend, much to her horror. Before her clawed hand could reach her however, a black cane slapped it away and she closed her eyes in thanks to whatever deity existed up there "You're late!" she cried at the caped man who pushed the monster away and turned with a smile at her.

"A gentleman is never late or early. He arrives precisely when he means to."

"You are so not quoting Tolkien at me right now! Get me out of here, you batman!"

The monster seethed as she bantered with Tuxedo Mask, rushing the man who engaged it, battering away the claws with his cane. Luna had given Ami the pen, but was having problems getting her to function again and all the while she was forced to act as the fucking bystander, unable to help.

"Ami," she began when there was another stand-off between man and monster so she could be heard, drawing the girl's blank stare", I know it's scary and easier to not feel, because sometimes you might think that it's not even worth it. Why should you bother when everyone around you calls you unfriendly and cold?" Luna too was looking at her askance "You're a coward, Mizuno Ami!" that startled a reaction out of the girl, who flinched as if punched "Boohuu, so you don't have friends and your sad and lonely and pathetic, get a grip of yourself! Even if's hard and harsh, get up, shoulder through and endure!"

"I…" the girl said the pen Luna had given her clutched to her chest.

"Come on, you megane-baka! How long a motivational speech must I give? At least let's finish the job and then I'll lecture you all you want!"

Blue light exploded around the girl, as she blinked finally awake from whatever waking dream she'd been forced in. Her forehead glowed with the symbol of her planet as Luna instructed Ami what to do. Tuxedo Mask and the monster where having round three in their mortal kombat fight and she was still uselessly stuck to the wall.

"Why do I have to be the damsel in distress here?"

As Sailor Mercury veiled them in her mist, she felt Tuxedo Mask closing in as he freed her with the sword hidden inside his cane "Good job, my hero. What took you so long?"

"Please, I was actually busy fighting the monster, not just waiting to be rescued!" hitting the smirking man over the shoulder they dived away as the monster clawed the air where they'd stood a moment before. Moonlight Knight kicked her scepter up with a foot, twirling around until it burned a pure blinding light as she swept the monster's neck. This time she knew to look away. Thankfully the body turned to dust long before it hit the floor, as did the head.

The mist was thinning and Tuxedo Mask was nowhere to be seen. Sailor Mercury stepped forward and both took a moment to grin at one another, before their smiles faltered as the words Moonlight Knight had said came to bite her in the ass.

"Sorry, about earlier, I uh…"

"No, no, you were – are right. I am a coward. I made my first friend yesterday and she was so kind to me and nice and I really enjoyed spending time with her. She even included me today in her activities and I – I was such a conceited thing when I first saw her surrounded by her friends, wondering how someone like her could have friends when I didn't…"

"Ami," she stopped the girl, placing a hand over her shoulder, because the poor thing looked like she was about to cry ", at the end of the day, we're only human. We are capable of just as much ugliness as we are of good things. I hope we can start over."

"I'd like that."

"Then, I'm Moonlight Knight but as a civilian I go by Tsukino Yuuko. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sailor Mercury." the short-haired girl flushed beetroot, ducking her head as they shook hands "Now, none of that. We still have a movie marathon to plan."

She pretended not to notice Mercury wiping her tears away as they left the building using the disguise pen.

"So how do you feel about a Marvel marathon? Say tonight?" Ami couldn't help but laugh as she agreed.

_Next on Sides of the Moon..._

**Act V. **

**Wildfire**

[...]

"Well, aren't you just a smartass!" as soon as the words left her mouth she flushed, looking surprised. The glass wearing guy seemed just as shocked, before carefully schooling his face. He looked sort of familiar, but where exactly she had seen him before she couldn't say "Have we met?" she decided to ask, knowing she had nothing to lose but a cold rebuff and since she didn't know him she didn't really care.

The guy, he was slightly older than her, with dark hair and beautiful blue eyes framed by lush eyelashes blinked, looking at her "I think you bumped into me in front of Crystal Seminar the other day."

"Oh, sorry about that." Had she now? She didn't remember "I'm Yuuko."

"Not interested."

"Excuse me?" her blush returned with a vengeance "I was just making conversation!"

[...]


	5. Act V Wildfire

**Disclaimer:** Sailor Moon isn't my property. Period.

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for your continued support and to answer Nanarise question I'm basing this after the remake and the manga more or less, but some characters like Nehellenia will appear. I'm curious to see how you like this chapter and the peak into the next one. I have one more chapter already written so after posting it up I might have to take a step back and decide how I'm going to things are more or less clear in my head while others aren't, so I'll revisit the manga and think some more where I want to see this ending. Hopefully I'll keep the updates coming steadily but since college is starting soon I might get sidetracked. If I do you are free to remind me of my obligation of actually finishing this story, that is if you like it. Fighting scenes aren't my forte but those aren't really my focus here. If you have suggestions, advice to share or anything, leave a note. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Act V. <strong>

**Wildfire**

Yawning around the straw of her juice box, Yuuko listened only with half an ear as Umino regaled her friends about the latest horror story in Tokyo something about a bus driven by death. Her mind went back to a few nights ago when Ami had first became Sailor Mercury and they'd had their first and only sleepover so far. They hadn't had much sleep that night, despite that it was a school day, as they'd giggled over Tony Stark and Cap Dorito's bootie. Ami had even tried a cigarette and choked herself into tears. It had been lots of fun.

"Don't you find it scary, Yuuko?" Kuri asked, bringing her back to Earth.

"Find what scary?" she mouthed around the straw.

"For real? Why weren't you paying attention?" Naru palmed her face as she shrugged sheepishly "That's so you, why do I even bother?"

"Oh, come on! Harsh much, you unfeeling creature?"

"Creature?" Naru shrieked as Umino, Kuri and Yumiko laughed "Why you, blonde menace!"

Now it was her turn to laugh, as Naru turned as red as her hair. They moved away from horror stories to homework and school and chattered around Kuri's desk as they ate their bentos. It was a sunny day, without a speck of white everywhere, Yuuko couldn't stand it. When was it going to rain? She was quite sick of sunshine and fervently wished for a change in the weather. Even a cloudy day would be better. Her mood had soured ever since Luna had told Ami about her situation and Usagi who wasn't here. The blue-eyed girl had looked into the problem at hand, trying to come up with a theory if not a solution, but she had only muddled things. Turning her head towards the windows so the others wouldn't see her bitter expression and worry, she recalled the conversation.

They had been in her bedroom technically Usagi's sitting at the low table with Luna perched atop the bed in a sprawl.

"What I've been able to find was that the spell that brought you here wasn't the one that spirited Usagi away." Ami had begun their meeting driving straight into the problem "I've sifted through any imprints left throughout the bedroom and even through the house, two stood up, both powerful energies and similar enough to almost overlap but different enough to stand up on their own. If what you say is right and Usagi is our princess that means one of the energy imprints is hers. The other one was felt twice in the immediate area, once the day you arrived and that is the longest, the other time it's merely a brush. Those two imprints happened one after the other and you say that you dreamt of Queen Serenity those nights, so we can safely assume that it is hers. "

"Ami just get to the point."

"Alright," Ami sighed pushing her glasses further up her nose "While I can't be sure which of the imprints was the one who brought you here, we can at least safely cross off the Dark Kingdom as Usagi's capturers since there was no imprint of dark energy anywhere inside the house, which leaves the only theory I can come up with. That Usagi left quite willingly."

The silence that had descended over the bedroom had felt stifling. If the Princess they were trying to find and protect just up and left then where did that leave the senshi?

"She must've had a reason. Do you think you can find a trail or something?"

"I've tried, but the outside energies of the Dark Kingdom keep throwing me off. It will take time, so…"

"Patience is the better part of valor, got it."

They had gone on to talk about other things such as a training schedule for both of them, but on the inside Yuuko had seethed. Once she found Usagi she was going to bitch slap her into tomorrow. Her and her goddamn mother, both! What right did the queen of a long forgotten kingdom have to pluck her from her place in the world and dump her here? And the reason remained why? To replace her daughter? It was one of her more absurd theories that she'd thrown around more in jest than anything else. To find her daughter? She had the Senshi for that and Venus was already awake she could have just warned them. So why the fuck was she here?

"What are you doing later, Yuuko?" Yumiko asked

"I'm meeting Ami at the arcade she's helping me at math."

"Oh, yeah, you befriended the super genius girl, last week didn't you?" Kuri snickered as Naru shoved her playfully.

"Hey, don't be rude. Mizuno-san is very nice."

"You met her already?"

"Duh, Naru's my best friend." or at least her closest friend here.

"What does that make us?" Yumiko huffed "Chopped liver?"

"Chopped liver." both Kuri and Umino agreed at the same time.

"Fine, fine. I'll introduce you tomorrow."

"You better."

They parted ways after school, Yumiko and Naru going shopping for clothes while Kuri went home. Umino said something about checking the store for the newest Shonen Jump edition and she moved towards the arcade. Luna had said she'd wait there for them and gone ahead. School bored the poor cat something fierce and she had a hard time hiding away from most humans. No matter how much of a master ninja she was, Luna was still a cat, kinda hard not to notice a cat.

"Hello, hello!" she singsonged, waving towards Motoki who grinned back.

"Someone sure is lively today."

"Not really, have you seen Ami?"

"Follow the crowd, Yuu-chan, just follow the crowd." She turned in the direction the blond-haired guy was pointing feeling her jaw drop as she spotted the exited crowd, and how had she missed that, surrounding Ami who was busy kicking some serious boo-teh on the Sailor V game.

"Hot damn, now I wanna try that game!"

After breaking the top score to the amazement of the gathered crowd, Ami shuffled off the seat, holding her prize, a pretty blush staining her cheeks.

"Well, well, Ami-chan I never knew you had it in you!"

"Motoki-san asked me if I didn't want to play while I waited for you."

"Ah, sorry, I thought we got off at the same hour. You didn't wait too long for me, did you?"

"I'm excused from P.E. since I have first stage of scoliosis." She shrugged "I've been here for about an hour or so."

"Why didn't you say anything? We could've met later."

"I don't mind, really and I did get to do something super fun in the meanwhile."

"If you're sure."

"I am." Luna sighed from where she was nestled in Ami's arms, shaking her head fondly as they moved to their usual booth placing their order with Motoki "Shall we start the meeting?"

"Right. Our main priority is finding the other senshi." Yuuko said toying with a napkin "Luna have you tried making contact with V?"

The cat nodded, before shaking her head, unable to talk freely around the humans at the arcade "So she hasn't answered. That leaves two others, right?"

Yuuko nodded "Mars and Jupiter for now. We need to gather the Inner Senshi first. We'll worry about the Outers later."

"Outers?" Ami cocked her head to the side as Motoki arrived with their drinks. They waited until he was further away to continue.

"Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Pluto make up the Outer Senshi, but I don't know where they are or even how to find them. I don't even remember their civilian names so we have no lead there."

"And the Inner Ones?"

"Moon had no Senshi during the Silver Millennium, but I guess we could include me too. Then there's Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus."

"So Sailor V stands for Venus." She nodded as the short-haired girl continued "What about the other two?"

"Of the other two I remember only Mars civilian name, I don't recall Jupiter's." Ami waited for her to continue so she gave her what she wanted to know "Hino Rei is the name of Mars."

"So we try finding her first and then focus on finding Jupiter. I still can't believe all this sometimes, us soldiers, another world, reincarnation…"

"Join the club, sister."

"And the princess, why would she run away or I don't know how to call it," Luna butted her head against Ami's cheek and the girl petted her "It's just so frustrating."

"I know."

They spent the rest of their time at the arcade eating and going over math problems and as Ami made to leave for her seminar, Yuuko decided to join her as it was only a couple of blocks away from the abandoned building they'd been training at. Tokyo much as back home proved to be a smaller world once you began knowing the streets and places.

"You should really consider quitting do you know how bad it is for not only your health but those around you?" somehow they had gotten on the topic of smoking, figures.

"What are you my mother?"

"Ikuko-san would kill you if she found out."

"Tell me about it." Yuuko froze as she realized that she'd more or less acknowledged the other woman as her mother, but it was so hard not to think of her like that. She was so much like she wished her real mother was, making time for her and putting up with all her craziness, yelling at her only about things that a mother should like grades. When was the last time her real mother had berated her like that as if she still cared? She couldn't remember.

"Oh, let's take the bus." thankful that Ami had said something, she turned back towards her.

"What, why?"

"There's this beautiful girl I sometimes catch a glimpse of. She's a student at T.A. Girls' Academy" the bordered and Ami peered about, before casually waving towards a tall, statuesque girl with flowing raven locks and pale amethyst eyes "That's her," she whispered as Yuuko turned towards her with wide eyes.

"Ami you're a genius! Do you have any idea who that is?"

Ami glanced back at the girl, trying to place her before turning back to Yuuko "Ami that's Hino Rei. We've found Mars."

Ami's jaw slackened as the bus came to a stop and the girl got off "I have to go to the seminar, I can't go after her."

"I'll phone you later." Luna joined her and together they disembarked as Ami remained, stunned, in the bus, staring after them long past when they couldn't be seen anymore.

"Who'd have thought?" Luna smiled as they moved after the girl trying to keep her in their sight without making it look as if they were stalking her.

"Who'd have thought, indeed. Ami looked like she couldn't believe me."

"At times I can't believe you." Luna snickered before growing serious "You have a lot of knowledge about some things and at the same time you're equally lacking knowledge, the finer details I mean, which is understandable, but…"

"I know. I wish I knew everything too."

They waited for the girl to climb the steps to the shrine and Yuuko only now remembered that Rei had actually been a priestess. Talk about forgetting shit, still in her excuse it had been almost ten years since she'd last seen Sailor Moon and even then she hadn't been as enthusiastic about it as she could have been. Oh, if this had been Harry Potter she would've sung a different tune.

"I've never been to a shrine before." She told Luna as they took the last steps together, looking around curiously.

"Neither have I. It's nice."

And it was. The shrine wasn't as big as she expected, but it was beautiful and looked as if it had been plucked from the Feudal Era or at least Inuyasha. The Higurashi shrine was her only term of comparison and she hardly knew what she as looking at as she moved about its grounds curiously. The fluttering sound of wings caught her attention and she looked up as two ravens dived out of nowhere towards her.

"Yuuko!" Luna cried as she dived to the side to avoid their claws and beaks, scrapping her knees across the concrete as a paper door was slammed to the side.

"Evil Spirit, be exorcised!" she heard a husky, feminine voice and felt the ofuda slap onto her forehead. The sudden silence that plunged over the shrine as Rei blinked at her and she stared deadpan back brought to mind the crows that said 'A-ho. A-ho.' in manga and animes "I'm so sorry, are you alright? I thought I felt an evil spirit,"

"Oh, it's fine. That's just Luna," the cat bristled and hissed at her. She was so paying for that comment later "Black cat, bad luck, that's how superstition goes, right?"

"It could also go black cat, good luck. I'm Hino Rei, please accept my deepest apologizes." The long-haired brunette sketched a bow as she waved her off, rising to her feet.

"Tsukino Yuuko, pleased to make your acquaintance. It's okay. Everyone makes a mistake now and then, right? Could I ask to go to the restroom, my knees are busted." Rei looked askance at her bleeding knees.

"Yes, come this way."

She was about to follow Rei inside when three women made their way through the shrine grounds and to the altar. Both girls paused to look at them and Rei excused herself, recognizing one of them.

"Oba-sama…" she began, but the woman dressed in a yellow suit didn't let her finish.

"Rei-chan, Mii's gone missing."

Yuuko remained where she was and she and Luna shared a glance. This could get ugly fast going by the nasty looks the other two were throwing the brunette.

"What happened?" Rei asked as one of the women began telling her about the six o'clock bus.

"So it's not just a horror story, a kidnapper?" Yuuko asked, pitching her voice so only Luna could hear her.

"Or the Dark Kingdom." whispered Luna as she crouched to pick her up. Of course, things could never resume themselves to humans anymore, no you had to add supernatural monsters to their world nowadays, otherwise where was the fun?

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"You and me both." Luna's turned her face towards her as she murmured the words in her chest so that she wouldn't be seen talking.

"Not that we're saying the shrine's a dangerous a place." was the barely veiled insult one of the two women threw as the other guided the concerned woman away whispering loudly about Rei's strangeness and other stupid such things that clearly upset the beautiful girl, even if she fought not to show it.

"Who's Mii?"

"A little girl who plays here while she waits for the bus," Rei sighed as Phobos and Deimos whirled high above her head "They say that if you catch the demon bus at six on the dot, when it passes the five hills of Sendaizakue another one will appear, a sixth hill. That phenomenon is known as spirited away. I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to leave"

Yuuko watched the beautiful girl walk away trailed from the sky by her ravens and looked down at her feline friend "My spidey senses are tingling."

"You're what are doing what?" Luna huffed, her eyes sparkling.

"It means I'm sensing the Dark Kingdom's hand in all this."

"Oh goodie." groaned Luna, her ears flattening with her displeasure "Let's go home, we have to call Ami anyway and something tells me, things are about to get ugly before they get better."

"Yeah, I don't like it, but Rei might have to bear the burden of all these disappearances. Should I try and stop it today, wait for the six o'clock bus?"

Luna gave the idea some thought before shaking her head "No, we have no idea what's going on or where those people are taken. It's stupid to rush in without a plan or at least some information.

"I know, still shucks, but I get it."

She called Ami the moment she got home and after telling her everything the genius girl told her to follow Luna's lead, despite the obvious displeasure Yuuko could hear in her voice. Who knew what had happened to the missing people? But then again it would do no one any good for them to dive in head first and get themselves caught too. Who would rescue them then?

"The neighborhood is getting more and more dangerous," Ikuko said to Kenji over dinner as she filled their bowls with rice "I went shopping today and heard that a little girl's gone missing. She's a few years younger than Shingo."

"A lot of sick people today." Sighed Kenji rubbing his face "We're covering all of the disappearances and it's not resumed only to kids, but middle school and high school students too, anyone who is on the bus during that hour goes puff and never arrives home."

"You two be careful out there, you hear me?" she scolded, whirling on Yuuko and Shingo with a worried frown on her face.

"Don't worry, Mom, we'll be fine." Shingo assured her while she only nodded, because she didn't know if she would be fine. Not if she went up against another one of those stupid monsters. She had had to hide the paper cuts from that stupid bitch who'd been brainwashing Ami and had still nearly been found out. She didn't fancy doing it again and yet it was unavoidable.

Next day at school the only thing everyone could talk about was the demon bus and the spirited away people. During Literature, during P.E., even during lunch break. They discussed the subject until exhaustion and then again some more.

"Here," Ami smiled handing her a beaded wristwatch "I won it yesterday at the arcade but in all the excitement, forgot to give it to you."

"Matching ones? That's super cute."

"I know right?"

They were seated in Yuuko's hiding place since she had wanted to smoke.

"What do you think about the demon bus, Ami?"

"I think we should definitely look into it, even if it's not the Dark Kingdom."

"Glad we're on the same page. I'm stopping by Rei's place later, wanna join me?"

"Sorry, I can't I have another seminar today."

"You're impossible." she offered a smile to show that it didn't bother her, that she was only teasing "I haven't done this much legwork in years."

"Sorry." Yuuko waved the apology away and snubbed the cigarette.

The rest of the school day was spent chattering about you guessed it, the freaking demon bus! As she boarded the bus leading to Rei's shrine, Yuuko felt ready to snap at someone if they brought it once more into discussion.

"Isn't it bad enough that it's happening?" she complained to Luna taking a seat in the back "What do they have to talk so much about it instead of doing something? Honestly, I'm getting tired of this shit."

"What are you talking to yourself about?" the guy next to her asked "And do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"Well, aren't you just a smartass!" as soon as the words left her mouth she flushed, looking surprised. The glass wearing guy seemed just as shocked, before carefully schooling his face. He looked sort of familiar, but where exactly she had seen him before she couldn't say "Have we met?" she decided to ask, knowing she had nothing to lose but a cold rebuff and since she didn't know him she didn't really care.

The guy, he was slightly older than her, with dark hair and beautiful blue eyes framed by lush eyelashes blinked, looking at her "I think you bumped into me in front of Crystal Seminar the other day."

"Oh, sorry about that." Had she now? She didn't remember "I'm Yuuko."

"Not interested."

"Excuse me?" her blush returned with a vengeance "I was just making conversation!"

"Really?" for a reason or another that surprised him "My bad, then, I'm Chiba Mamoru. You're very rude for a middle school girl."

"Rude?" Oh, because she'd said 'Yuuko desu' which in Japanese was indeed quite rude "If you say so," she leaned back into the seat and looked out the window. What was it with this guy? She was rude? What about his attitude? She wanted off the bus or at least to move seats, but that would be more than rude and she didn't feel like getting into a prissy fight with this guy who had a tree shoved up so far up his ass he was sprouting – her mind blanked as she retraced her steps back a few minutes ago. She saw her eyes widening in the window and bit her lip not to shout, her body going so straight it could snap.

Holy Moly, he was Chiba Mamoru as in Tuxedo Mask! Goddamn it, why was she always so slow? For the love of God he even looked the part, tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed just like another billion guys. She looked down at Luna who was peering back curiously and mouthed 'later'. By the time she got off the bus she was ready to burst, a small part, somewhere buried so deep she would never admit it aloud was fangirling like a banshee because Tuxedo Mask, while another part just wanted to go back home, her real home, so badly.

"What was that about?" Luna asked once she could.

"The guy on the bus? That was Tuxedo Mask." The cat did a comical double-back "Seriously, Mamoru Chiba is his civilian name."

"That's bad, I don't trust his intentions. Why is he helping us, what has he to gain?"

"He's looking for the same thing we are, one missing princess and her magical crystal. I'm so tired of this shit, Luna. I don't care that she's your princess, the first chance I get I'm bitch slapping Usagi."

"Stand in line." The cat hissed. She was just as displeased with their circumstances and while she thought Yuuko was doing an admirable work, the thought that the princess had disappeared out of her own free will had bothered and upset her something fierce. As they climbed the last steps leading to the shrine they were just in time to see the women from yesterday turning on Rei and accusing her of being the one responsible for the missing kid's disappearance.

"Well, that's just rude." She pitched her voice to be heard throughout the entire yard "Accusing an innocent girl of kidnapping, where exactly is your proof?"

The two busybodies sputtered as they turned towards her "We didn't say anything about kidnapping" one of them snapped, finally finding her words again.

"But that was what you were implying, wasn't it? I think you should leave and go to the police. Rei's not a detective and her so called supernatural powers aren't going to help any, if the kid's been kidnapped. If she's missing for more than forty-eight hours straight there's a chance you won't be seeing her again."

The mother looked ready to burst into tears as one of the women took a step closer "And what do you know about that?"

"It's called common sense, try buying some. Oh, wait, you can't. You either have it or you don't."

The women left seething, dragging their friend who tried to apologize, but wasn't allowed "She should totally call them off."

"Why did you defend me?" Rei asked and in that moment she sounded small and unsure and ready to shatter at the gentlest of breeze "Everyone, ever since I was little, everyone has looked at me coldly and called me names and yet you…Why was I born with such powers? I never asked for them." the beautiful girl had turned her face away, hiding her expression from Yuuko.

Luna looked up at her and gave a nod which she returned as she drew near "Rei, I have something to tell you although you might not believe me at first."

The girl turned back to her, confused.

"I saw you one day on the bus and followed you, because I recognized you."

"We've never meet before yesterday."

"No we haven't." she fished around her bag and pulled out a red pen with a golden cap throwing it at the girl "If this doesn't work, then we remain friends and forget anything about this moment, but if it does, know that you're life will never be the same."

"Such ominous words…"but she was staring at the pen

"Rei," the brunette's head snapped up, her eyes the size of plates and her jaw slack as Luna addressed her flipping from Yuuko's arms to the ground "Call out Mars Power, Make-Up."

"Mars Power, Make-Up?" and just like that the pen reacted to her, a red light surging from her hand throughout her body as Yuuko brought up an arm to shield her eyes. When the light dimmed, Rei was no more and Sailor Mars stood before her.

"What the?" Mars cried twirling around to look at herself "What's going on?"

"Sailor Mars, Guardian of the Planet Mars, Sailor of Fire and Wrath, welcome to the Sailor Senshi. Moon Power, Make-Up!" it was Rei's turn to shield her eyes and when her own transformation ended to gape at her "I am Moonlight Knight, leader of the Senshi until Sailor Venus returns to us."

"What? How? What are you on about?"

She turned back into her civilian form and helped Rei deactivate her transformation too, guiding her inside the shrine and flitting through the small kitchenette there to make them tea. Rei was staring at Luna pinching herself now and then as the cat told her everything they knew. It took them nearly two hours and one pot of tea to finish.

"And you think the Dark Kingdom had something to do with this?"

"It's one theory." Yuuko nodded "And I have a plan how to proceed and find the missing people."

"That's a new one. Shoot." Luna said

"Luna and Mercury remain behind, me and Rei jump on the bus once it passes the station, see what happens. We'll go in, disguised with the pen and transform once there. Mercury will use her computer find out where we are through the magic imprint of our sailor forms and brings in the cops, if its humans we're dealing with."

"And if it's not?" Rei asked although by the set of her chin she was already on board with the plan.

"If they're not humans, she still calls the police and ambulances. We get in, surprise attack the monsters, bam, moon dust. Mercury still finds us and we still get out. We'll keep radio contact at all times" and here she tapped the wristwatch and Luna whiskers twitched as she smiled.

"Although I can't say much for your oral skill, it's not a bad plan. It could work."

"I know, right?" she grinned

"The only problem is that Mars has no fighting experience whatsoever."

"We'll then we remedy that. We still have an hour, Rei change and let's practice some moves."

They were waiting nearby the Sendaizakue hills on the direct route of the demon bus, both of them disguised as business women. Rei was wearing a red blazer with matching long pants and black stiletto hills, her hair pined back in a chignon and square glasses framing her face. She had a pencil skirt and jacket in eggshell, white button up shirt peeking through the blazer, and her hair was no longer flowing past her shoulders but cut pixie short and spiked with gel.

"Here it comes." Rei said, her voice betraying her nerves as the green bus swerved towards them, going straight towards a building's wall "It's gonna crash!"

"No it won't." she had already started running after it, Rei only a few steps behind as they both jumped catching onto the back of the windows, but they couldn't get their arms to haul themselves atop it. The bus was already halfway through a wormhole.

And of course that was when Tuxedo Mask came running in and she couldn't help herself "YOU'RE LATE!"

He somersaulted, ending atop the bus offering her a hand "Mars first, you dolt." laughing he helped, Mars up, before helping her too.

"Moonlight Knight," he nodded, hand touching the rim of his hat.

"Tuxedo Mask, fashionably late as ever, I see."

"Only because it keeps you guessing and on your toes."

"Could you leave the flirting for later?" she laughed at Rei's nauseated look and even Tuxedo Mask looked amused.

"So this is how you look when you're not out fighting?" he enquired giving her a one-over. She smiled, glad that her disguise had come with a change of hair color and turned it flaming red.

"Actually this is another disguise."

"Aha, leave 'em guessing."

"You betcha!"

"Ugh, I'm gonna be sick." Rei groaned as she and Tuxedo Mask helped her flatten against the rooftop so that they wouldn't be seen by the enemy.

"Did you spot who was driving the bus?"

"Nope, but we're about to find out."

The bus rolled to a stop and she covered Rei's mouth to silence her moaning, telling Tuxedo Mask with a wave of her hand to stay put. They could hear footsteps as someone moved the people on the bus without any resistance, which meant they were either unconscious or dead.

"You're overarching, Jadeite."

"Nephrite, is that you?"

Yuuko felt hot and cold in that moment and closed her eyes with a wince. She knew her companions had noticed but frankly she was more concerned about the situation at hand. These weren't your everyday monsters, but the wicked witch of the west's head honchos. A fight with them would be worse than a boss fight on the highest level in a game. There was also a part of her that felt for them. Usagi had found her friends and surrounded herself with them, while Mamoru had only had her and later their daughter. She was sure he'd befriended the other senshi, but it probably hadn't been the same as what he had had as Endymion with his generals.

Could she kill them knowing who they were? Because she knew, that much she knew. Killing them would be the easier choice, the least likely to bite her later in the ass. She bit her lip to keep her sigh in, knowing already that she wouldn't go for the easy choice. She was too much of a masochist, like that.

"I think we can get off," Tuxedo Mask whispered and after another look around he jumped, helping Rei down, then her "So what's the plan?"

Popping the watch open, she made the call to Mercury waiting to connect "Moonlight Knight, here. Mercury, come in."

"Mercury, here. Whenever you're ready girls."

"Let's do this, then. Mars you up to this?"

"I am."

"Moon Power, Make-Up!"

"Mars Power, Make-Up!"

When the white and red lights had dimmed, Tuxedo Mask whistled before wincing as if just remembering where they were and what they were supposed to do "Sorry."

"It's okay. I'd whistle too if I was a guy."

"I'm never going on a mission with you two again." Mars groaned as she and Tuxedo Mask shared a grin behind her back "Come on, let's save the people."

"Remember, surprise attack, as in he must not see us coming." she warned them one last time and not a few minutes later she felt like turning on her own allies and throttling them "What did I say about a surprise attack?" she shrieked dodging Jadeite's ice "Rei, the people, we can't let any stray attacks hit them."

"On it!" the fiery senshi called back, diving and rolling into a crouch before the slumped people as Tuxedo Mask flipped and somersaulted to avoid Jadeite's ice. She joined in twirling her scepter until it was burning, hoping to incapacitate the general. Jadeite however proved to be quick and skilled, for the so called underdog of the head honchos, the man sure was good.

"Moon Web Ensnare!" she shouted and the white snare twisted into life around Jadeite's form, as fine as lace but impossible to rip. The man howled, outraged as Mars readied her final attack, one that would leave behind only a charred corpse. Moonlight Knight rushed forward at a speed she didn't knew she had it her, throwing her head back when she was in breathing distance of the grey-eyed man and slamming it as hard as she was able to into his. Jadeite crumpled at her feet, unconscious.

She could feel something hot trickle down her nose and wiped it away with a gloved hand. The white glove came away stained red "Ouch?"

"Why did you do that?" Mars asked still breathing hard.

"Because we need him." Now even Tuxedo Mask was looking at her weirdly, but being the perfect gentleman that he was he'd fished a handkerchief out for her "Thanks. We have no idea what the Dark Kingdom has planned or about their strength, their weakness. I just got us a fountain of information."

"Are you out of your mind?" Mars cried as Yuuko applied pressure on her bleeding forehead.

"We'll talk later, Mars. Now let's get the people back in the bus and outta here, we have places to be, people to see, Tux has ladies to woo and babies to kiss."

The caped man laughed but helped them usher the confused, waking people quickly inside and then went as far as to carry Jadeite in by himself.

"I need a drink, what a day."

"You and me both." Tuxedo Mask agreed as the driver started the engine.

"Mercury, do us the honors."

The wormhole appeared in front of the bus, held open by Mercury's powers and the engine rumbled to life as they drove straight through it.

"I'm never again going through a rabbit hole." Tuxedo Mask laughed as was his want and Rei grumbled as was hers.

_Next on Sides of the Moon..._

**Act VI. **

**Paper Faces on Parade**

[...]

"Heya, Luna." She greeted the cat, only to do a double back. Wait, she was sure, for a second, had it been only her imagination, but no Luna the cat was sitting at Rei's table on one of the chair, not a woman with dark, flowing curls "I seriously need sleep if I'm seeing things. How was our guest?"

"I gagged him when he started with the profanities."

[...]


	6. Act VI Paper Faces On Parade

**Disclaimer: **Me no own, so you no sue.

**A/N: **Hello, hello, my darling minions and thank you for your continued support. I adore you all, you truly make me feel like I'm on cloud nine. I'm afraid there is no sneak peak into the next chapter as I've yet to write it. I visited a friend from high-school and haven't really sat down to write and now since uni begins, it'll be harder for me, but I will eventually get down to do Jupiter, because she's way too awesome and I wanna write her already. This is more a filler than anything, so it's a bit shorter, but I'd rather update faster and write shorter chapters. I dunno how do you like it best: long chapters, slow update or short chapters, fast updates? For me at least it's always the former, but sometimes it can get a bit frustrating. Keep the reviews coming, darlings, you adorable munchkins and I shall keep the chapters rolling! Love ya, best wishes, see ya next time...

* * *

><p><strong>Act VI. <strong>

**Paper Faces on Parade**

The sudden reappearance of the missing people was overshadowed by the news of Princess D's arrival to Japan. Ami and Yuuko had each called home to say they wouldn't be able to get back that night, because of the police blockade near the shrine and had mostly gotten away with it. Not that their parents wouldn't rip them anew on the morrow but at least, for tonight they could hold the meeting they needed to have.

Rei, who was the only one living alone had been unceremoniously named queen babysitter of their guest, Jadeite.

Luna hadn't know how to react, going from proud of Yuuko for thinking ahead to anger that she'd brought the Dark Kingdom on their heads because she'd kidnapped Jadeite and back to being proud. Ami could also see both sides, but she too much like Luna had mixed feelings about this. Rei was the only one displeased with the entire situation and Tuxedo Mask had left after stealthily sneaking the man in Rei's shrine. His only words on the matter at hand were to be kept appraised in case they needed help.

How exactly Yuuko was supposed to find him only she knew, as he left no contact number.

"I'm sorry," she said to her companions. They had all gathered in Rei's kitchen after stuffing Jadeite in a closet. The web she'd made was still holding him prisoner "I had to move quickly and I thought that our best chance was to get more information."

"And how are we getting it? By torturing him?" Luna hissed "Do you think he'd so readily give us what we ask for? He's one of their generals right?" she turned to Rei who nodded having been there when the man had introduced himself "So how do we convince a man who knows all their inner workings to give us what we want?"

When put like that she left kind of foolish for spiriting Jadeite away. She looked down at her hands with a frown before snapping her eyes back to Luna's burning gaze, chin up "You don't agree with my choice, that's fine with me. But you have to understand one thing, that man, Jadeite, is as human as us. During the Silver Millennium he alongside three others, were Earth's mightiest heroes and Endymion's brothers in bonds if not blood."

"Endymion?" asked Ami

"Princess Serenity's lover, the heir of the kingdom of Earth at that time." She stared at Luna willing her to understand without forcing his identity in the open and by the wide-eyed look the cat gave her, she knew she'd pieced it together. Even Ami seemed to be thinking hard about her words, but the short-haired girl was thankfully keeping it to herself.

"And what does this prince have to do with anything?"

"There is a reason why Earth doesn't have a senshi," was all Luna said nodding towards Yuuko to tell her that she would keep the secret "Earth was the richest planet of the Solar System and to this day it still is. It was the only planet who could deny contact to the other planets and survive by itself. More than that it thrived going as far as to surpass even the Venusian Kingdom in riches, that's why it had no need for senshi to draw on the planet's magic. The entire humankind was capable of such feats, something the races of the solar system couldn't boast. The only kingdom that came close in terms of half the population being magical was the Moon Kingdom and even that fell when Earth raised their banners against Queen Serenity."

That was some major food for thought right there "Wow, just how much do you remember, Luna?"

"More than you, that's for sure." but the smile on the cat's face showed that there were no hard feelings behind the words "You really think he can be turned back to our side, don't you?"

That made both Rei and Ami pause glancing between cat and girl "I do. It might take time, but we can do this. I know we can."

Luna sighed, but in the end gave a tired nod "Very well, but it's on you if something happens."

"Thank you." She looked at the other girls waiting for them to give their own opinions.

"You have my support, Yuu-chan."

"Thank you, Ami."

"Well you don't have mine," sneered Rei "It's not you who's housing the bastard."

"I know. I'll make it up to you somehow."

"You helped me get Mii-chan back. I'm the one in your debt, but after this, we're even."

"We are."

They talked babysitting duty some more as they all had to attend school at a point or another and couldn't leave Jadeite alone. Luna agreed to babysit him while they were at school, after which Yuuko would pick off where the cat's watch ended since Ami couldn't because of her cram school. It left Rei to take care of him overnight, which only inflamed the brunette's ire. By the time they went to bed, the futons Rei had laid out for them looked heavenly. Despite how tired she felt, Yuuko couldn't shut off her mind long enough to fall asleep.

What she gotten herself into? Could she even help Jadeite? Would he even want their help? She tossed and turned and slept in fitful bouts throughout the night, too restless and by the time they had to get up she was even more tired than when she had gone to bed. Even if it meant more babysitting duties, she couldn't wait for the weekend to arrive.

As she got up and readied for school, Yuuko couldn't help but feel like she'd taken on her shoulders more than she was able to carry. Ami had mostly remained quiet, reading a book about history with too many kanji that she didn't know, and a small part of her wondered if the girl wasn't cross with her too. Not that she could do anything about it. She had apologized all night. Sighing, she slumped in her seat. Ami glanced at her and smiled.

"It's going to be fine, you'll see. I have confidence in you, Yuu-chan."

"Thanks, Ami. I think you're the only fan I have in our little group right now."

"Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say that. Give Luna and Rei some time, they'll both come around. After all, you're trying to do a good thing."

"You think so?"

"Yes, I do." that brought a smile to her face.

At school the re-appearance of the missing people seemed to have slipped everyone's mind. All they talked about was the visiting royal figure from a kingdom no one bothered learning the name and the legendary treasure she would unmask at a ball this very evening. It was all so redundant that she didn't even bother following the conversation around her. Yuuko thought about skipping class, but ultimately decided against it. She was sure that she would have to go juvenile on their asses at one point, better keep in the teachers good books for now.

"You look like death warmed over." Naru told her during lunch break.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel loved, Naru. I got caught yesterday in the blockade near Sendaizakue and had to spend the night at the nearby shrine."

"For real? That sounds terrible!" Yumiko said munching on a baby carrot.

"Yeah, it kinda was."

"Try getting some sleep tonight, before you keel over." advised Kuri.

"Sure, mother."

If nothing else happened on her babysitting duty, she might just get the needed winks. She spent the rest of the day zoning out in class and as soon as school was over left for Rei's shrine. And because it was such a good day like that, she had to sit next to Chiba Mamoru on the bus. Again.

"What no smartass comments today?" he asked holding a pocket book to his face "No witty comeback?"

"I'm too tired for banter." she told him, crossing her hands over her chest and slumping down, legs outstretched but crossed at the ankles so she wouldn't flash anyone "If you want to talk like two normal peoples, that I could do."

He snapped the book shut, turning to give her a searching look "Alright, then, talk."

"Like for real?" she blinked, meeting his gaze

"Seriously."

_"__Darling, I'm Sirius, not Shirley."_ He laughed at that and looked surprised that he'd done so, turning to hid the blush on his cheeks "Well, you sure know your English."

"Thanks, although I don't have your accent yet."

"Lemme guess, you speak the way Japanese speak English."

"You're also Japanese you know."

"Oh, shoot, you're right. I completely forgot!"

"I thought you weren't up for banter."

She actually had been serious, but no need to tell him so "Meh, I leave 'em guessing, like that."

His brows furrowed at her words as if he didn't know how to take what she'd just said and didn't speak anything else for the rest of the ride "See ya, around, Chiba-san."

"Have a pleasant day, Tsukino-san."

Why couldn't she have an easy conversation with that man? And why did it even bother her that much? It wasn't like she had any chance with him. All right, she didn't need to think about that right now, but as she stared at the many stairs leading up to Rei' shrine she felt like untangling the feelings Tuxedo Mask gave her as a much better way to spend the day than in Jadeite's company. Like it even mattered, the man was off limits goddamn it and she needed to get moving.

"Heya, Luna." She greeted the cat, only to do a double back. Wait, she was sure, for a second, had it been only her imagination, but no Luna the cat was sitting at Rei's table on one of the chair, not a woman with dark, flowing curls "I seriously need sleep if I'm seeing things. How was our guest?"

"I gagged him when he started with the profanities."

Putting her head in her palms, she laughed feeling a bit unhinged "Alright. Has he eaten already?"

"No, why?"

"It's not healthy to go this long without any sustenance."

"Be careful that he doesn't escape."

"Roger, that."

She made a couple of sandwiches and went to Jadeite's closet. The light spilling through the door when she opened it blinded him and his sharp grey eyes watered, but as soon as he had recovered he was back to glaring and holy moly if glares could kill, she'd be six feet under before someone could say 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'.

"Hi, I've come in peace and I bring food." she showed him the plate shuffling closer to him "I'll just take off the gag, now,"

"…if you think my brothers will stand for this you wretched good for nothing whore I'll…" the gag went back on just as quickly as she rocked back on her feet.

"Jadeite," she began losing any levity and staring the seething man down "I am trying to help here. You are in no position to insult your captors and you need to preserve your energy. If you don't eat you will die." his look clearly said that he'd rather do just that than touch the sandwiches she'd made. She placed the plate before him and sat down, crossing her legs.

"My name is Tsukino Yuuko and until a few weeks ago, it wasn't. I woke up in a different bedroom, in a different house, having apparently taken over someone else's life. You could go as far as to say that I was spirited away," she smiled, as he began to calm down and listen to her story "I'm not telling you this to give you information or even to make you feel for me, I'm telling you this, because deep down inside you this has happened to you too." and the glare was back on "Beryl found you, she kidnapped you and brainwashed you to serve her. I don't know how to help you remember, but I will help you. Now could you please eat?"

She was practically begging and the bastard took to staring behind her shoulders, his expression one of pure rage "If that's how you want to be, so be it. I'll come back in an hour."

"The guy's a total nutcase. I'm not sure how to crack him." she told Luna as she put the sandwiches in the fridge.

"Give yourself some time, we've only just began. It will take a while you realize that, right?"

"I know, but I just want to wave my hand, flash some light, and poof! Instant healing."

"You do know it doesn't work like that right?" Luna sighed

"Usagi could do it, if she was here."

Luna didn't say anything else, for which she was both thankful and resentful.

"I'm home." Rei called as she stepped inside

"Welcome home." she and Luna chorused, startling the brunette who stared at them for a long moment.

"Oh, right. I'm home." she repeated something strange and fragile passing over her features before she schooled her expression "How is he?"

"Stubborn and mulish and annoying," Yuuko groaned taking out things to start making dinner "He refuses to eat and curses us every time we remove the gag."

"You gagged him?"

"He didn't give us much of a choice." Luna told her as she watched Yuuko wash the rice "Then again it's just the first day, it might get better in time."

"Maybe." Yuuko paused, taken back by Rei's sudden ambivalence when just the other day the girl had been ready to rip her anew and fought back a grin "I saw that, don't let it get to your head, blondie."

"I didn't say a thing."

"You were thinking it though."

They had dinner together and then Yuuko took her leave of Rei's place to go back home with a promise to see the girl tomorrow after school. That seemed to please the brunette very much and somehow the thought that someone wished her there had her in high spirits all the way home.

"I'm back." she announced, slipping out of her heels and stepping in the living room "Why are you dressed like a penguin?"

Her father was carefully arranging the cuffs of a very expensive-looking black suit "I'm attending Princess D's ball tonight for my magazine. Do I really look that bad?"

"No, you look handsome. I was just surprised to see you like this."

"Well, thank you." he picked his trench coat up "I'm off then, tell your Mom I'll be coming back late and not to wait for me."

"Will do so, see ya." with a sigh she made her way up the stairs and froze turning back to look at the front door. Legendary treasure didn't that reek Dark Kingdom come get me? "Oh no, I wanna go to bed."

She ran to her room and commed Ami and Luna "Guys, have you heard about the ball tonight and the legendary treasure? Does it feel to you like they'll ping on the Dark Kingdom's radar or am I so sleep deprived I'm getting paranoid?"

They talked about it for half an hour, going over the pros and cons, until Luna finally gave the order "Rei and I have to stay behind to make sure nothing happens with our guest. Are you and Ami going to be alright by yourselves?"

"Ami?"

"We'll be fine."

"Oh, goodie, let's Cinderella to the ball then. I'll meet you near the embassy Ami, we'll use the disguise pen to get in."

"Understood."

Banging her head against the door, she picked the pink pen, pulling a face at it "Just my luck. Why can't we deal with psychopaths one at a time? Why does there always have to be more?" she complained aloud all the way to the meeting spot uncaring of the weird look it gained her.

Ami smiled back at her, just as tired "Come on, maybe we'll even get to meet our Prince Charming before the clock strikes midnight."

"Yeah, no thank you. I have a date with my bed at midnight." she handed the pen to Ami and waited for her to transform first. It was a plain soft blue dress, of simple cut but rich material that brought her eyes out and a pair of wrist-length white gloves their color matching the heeled shoes that the pen gave Ami. She was also quite proudly wearing a tiara with a gem the color of her dress.

"Moon Power, change me into a princess." and lo and behold the pen delivered "Do you think if we ask it to change water to wine, it'll work?"

Her hair had lengthened and turned black, pined half up from her face with a diamond studded barrette but most spilled loose down her back and the dress the pen had given her was necked, sleeveless and backless. It cinched at the waist with a midnight blue belt the same color as the shoes. Instead of gloves she wore a diamond cuff on the hand her communicator had been. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

"Luna said to keep her appraised all night if we have to be around."

"We'll make regular calls if it goes until morning. Hopefully we'll be finished quickly."

"Do you really think we will?"

"No, but I can hope, can't I?"

They entered the embassy without a problem and she had to frown over the lax security, but said nothing as they moved inside "How do we go about this?"

"We should split up and cover more ground. The princess shouldn't make her appearance until later, but there's also the possibility of there being someone in the crowd from the Dark Kingdom."

"Alright, how do we split?"

"Go mingle, I'll call if need be."

"Traitor." She laughed as they parted ways, moving behind a couple to ask the disguise pen for a mask to cover half her face. Standing out wouldn't be of any help, she needed to work undercover after all. Yuuko realized that if she hadn't been feeling so drained she might have actually enjoyed the masquerade, fawning over dresses and checking guys out and wondering who looked good underneath their masks.

Entering the ballroom she slipped through the people to the edge of the dance ring looking around for anyone that might awaken her spidey feelings.

"Fancy meeting you here." she turned around, heart in her throat, as Tuxedo Mask took her hand and bowed over it.

"Oh, be still my beating heart." She mocked, on the inside screaming at her heart to stop pounding so loudly, there was no need for the entire ballroom to know, thank you very much. Tuxedo Mask laughed as he straightened drawing her closer so they could speak without being overheard.

"Might I have this dance?"

"It would be my pleasure."

Damn it why did she have to be so cheesy?

He took her to the middle of the floor as the band struck up a waltz and as down to earth as she thought she was, even she flushed behind her mask as she moved her palm above one shoulder and rested the other in the hand not around her waist. They moved slowly at first tasting the waters, and not long after they were spinning, covering the entire floor. Why would Usagi give this up? The hummingbird wings flutter of her heart as she looked into his blue eyes and felt the world just melting away until they were the only ones left in the room, heck, in the entire world.

"You're a good dancer."

"Thank you, you're not so bad either." He laughed again, the sound like velvet and chocolate to her ears and she liked neither of those.

"I was actually thinking about you."

Why the heck did he have to say such things? It didn't help her stupid crush at all and she had had enough of heartbreak to last her a lifetime.

"Don't say things you don't really mean."

"I never say things I don't mean."

"You don't even know who I am, do you, Chiba Mamoru?" she felt him stiffen and his expression smooth into a perfect blank look, but instead of leaving like she thought he might do he kept on dancing with her.

"You have me at a disadvantage it seems. Won't you tell me who you are?"

"Ever heard that all's fair in love and war?"

"Love?" his lips twitched upwards.

Foot met mouth. Goddamn it, why did she have to say that? She gave a shrug as they kept moving and spinning around.

"War, more like it."

"If you say so," the smile he gave her was gentle "I will find out who you are one day,"

"And then what? You'll give me the glass slipper and crown me your princess?"

"Would you like that?" he laughed

"Not really, I'm not that kind of girl. I never wished to be a princess when I was little."

"Then what did you wish to be?"

"A Jedi." they both laughed at that

"Then my young Padawan," she hid her face in his chest and nearly melted. God, what was she turning into? "Can I have the next dance as well?" he asked as the waltz drew to a close.

"I…" her diamond cuff turned blue as Mercury contacted her "We're about to have company."

He too looked at her wrist and tsked "Another time, then."

They parted, eyes remaining locked as the crowd began shifting and crying out. Princess D was rushing through, uncaring over who she knocked over in her mad dash, a red latticed jewelry box clutched protectively to her chest. They looked towards her as two of her bodyguards tried to stop her only for her to shove them into different directions. The bodyguards toppled into crowds that hadn't parted in time and more people ended sprawled on the floor.

"Midnight strikes and Cinderella's gone indeed." she said as the possessed Princess D begun a speech about the Dark Kingdom "Moon Power, Make-Up!"

She could hear people shouting and pointing as the Princess herself stopped mid-speech to look at her as the light faded. Tuxedo Mask had already circled around while she'd held the stage, going for an attack at the same time Moonlight Knight rushed the glass-wearing blond. They meet in the middle, nearly knocking their faces together when the princess jumped high over her, going for the balcony.

"We've got this people. Remain inside the ballroom" she called following Tuxedo Mask in their race to stop the princess gone mad. Thankfully Mercury had anticipated the princess's route and moved accordingly to block her.

"Give up, we have you surrounded."

"As if, you annoying wretch. Try doing the princess the same you did to the youma and you'll find an international catastrophe on your hands, after all the poor thing has no idea what she's doing." The voice coming out the princess was wrong, first of all because it was male.

"He's controlling her." Mercury gasped

"Well, shit."

"Moonlight Knight, the only way for darkness to be vanished is through powerful light." Tuxedo Mask told her as he readied to fight.

"No shit, Sherlock." She twirled her scepter around letting the burn build and the light grow until she could hear the pained howl of the man possessing Princess D. When the pitch changed, turning girly, she let the light dim until it vanished completely. The princess was slumped over her jewelry box and Mercury was bent over her checking for a pulse.

"She's alright, just unconscious."

The shadow had jumped to the roof across the balcony, taking the form of a tall handsome man with chestnut-colored hair. He was dressed in a similar enough uniform to Jadeite to make an educated guess that he was another head honcho. What was surprising however were the other two generals flickering into existence and she cursed. If they attacked now, she, Mercury and Tuxedo Mask wouldn't stand a chance. Thankfully they only seemed to want to gloat and introduce themselves, making threats about what they'd do to them before vanishing into the darkness they'd came from. What was weird was that they hadn't mentioned Jadeite once and she had to wonder at that.

"Well that was intense."

"Tell me about it." Ami sighed as Yuuko looked around for Tuxedo Mask.

"Will he ever stop pulling vanishing acts, I wonder?"

"Probably not, he's mysterious that way." as the princess stirred back to consciousness, they took their leave "Yuu-chan, be careful, alright?"

She had a feeling Ami wasn't talking about the other generals or Jadeite at all. Somehow this new topic was even more terrifying "It's just a silly crush, Ami. Don't worry, I won't let myself love so easily."

They too vanished from the embassy, not sticking around to deal with the fallout or the unveiling of the treasure since they knew that the Legendary Silver Crystal was with Usagi wherever she was.

That night it rained like Yuuko had hoped for so long.

_Next on Sides of the Moon..._

**Act VII. **

**Thunderstruck**


End file.
